19 January 2005	Wednesday	08 Zilhaj 1425

QUETTA, Jan 18: An all-party conference organized by the alliance of four Baloch nationalist parties on Tuesday adopted a declaration warning the government that efforts to resolve political issues through a military operation would endanger the federation.

Representatives of political parties, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Balochistan Bar Association demanded withdrawal of regular forces from Sui and Dera Bugti.

They said the government was complicating the situation by adopting extra-constitutional methods and ignoring the sentiments of people. National Party chief Dr Hayee Baloch presided over the conference which adopted the declaration expressing solidarity with the people of Sui.

The declaration stated that Balochistan had a long coastline and it was rich in resources but the government's policies towards the province had been biased, aggressive and undemocratic, aimed at suppressing the national struggle of people.

It said that military operations in the past had proved fruitless as despots had failed to undermine political movements in the province. It said denial of national, constitutional and democratic rights of Balochistan's people was the root-cause of their deprivation.

It said the recent unrest in Sui was a reaction of the local people against the dual standards of the government, which was influencing the Sui assault case by protecting culprits and, at the same time, using the incident to fulfil its long-term strategy to deploy regular forces in the area.