21 January 2005	Friday	10 Zilhaj 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 20: The parliamentary sub-committee on Balochistan's political issues has recommended 15 to 20 per cent increase in gas royalty, 20 to 30 per cent resource allocation for local development and constitutional changes for giving greater provincial autonomy to the province, sources told Dawn on Thursday.

The sub-committee was one of two constituted by the parliamentary committee led by Pakistan Muslim League President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. It has recommended that due share of the province in the federal services, the levies, police and other services should be ensured.

The report suggests the recent rape case should be resolved keeping the public sentiment in view but alleges that the incident has been blown out of proportion.

The report is almost ready and is expected to be submitted to President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for consideration before being tabled in parliament.

The constitutional amendments would, however, be proposed if deemed necessary by the sub-committee led the leader of the house in the Senate, Wasim Sajjad, sources said.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to delay a military operation and agreed to accelerate the process of seeking a negotiated settlement of the Balochistan imbroglio by accepting political dialogue as the first priority, sources said.

A two-pronged strategy has been chalked out to achieve the objective. The PML leadership will initiate dialogue with Baloch leaders while the security measures put in place to protect the Sui installations will continue.

Under the plan, PML Secretary-General Mushahid Hussain Syed, the leader of the sub-committee on Balochistan, has been directed to complete his report as soon as possible and submit it to the president before tabling it in parliament.

A committee led by Federal Minister Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind, formed to propose increase in the representation of Balochistan in federal services, has submitted its report.

Baloch leaders demanded during their recent contacts with government functionaries the recruitment of about 20,000 youth on their recommendations and 30 per cent share in the income accrued from Sui gas.

It has been decided that the issue will be debated in the National Assembly and the Senate, sessions of which will be summoned soon, and if the need arises their sittings will be converted into a joint session to meet the constitutional obligation.

According to sources, a meeting presided over by the president and attended by National Security Council Secretary Tariq Aziz, Chaudhry Shujaat, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Yusuf, the directors-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence and the Military Intelligence and the vice-chief of the army staff, held before the special cabinet meeting on the issue, was almost convinced on carrying out a military operation to flush out miscreants from Sui.

Elements in the PML, led by Chaudhry Shujaat and Mushahid Hussain, however, prevailed upon the hawks and won a chance for political process, they said. They claimed that the Balochistan chief minister also opposed a military operation, while officials of intelligence agencies in their briefing to the cabinet advocated an all out operation.

Chaudhry Shujaat vehemently opposed such an action and stressed opening of dialogue with the Baloch leadership, they said.

The PML chief went to the extent of offering the Baloch leaders amendment to the constitution to accommodate their demands about provincial share in federal resources.

After the meeting, the cabinet discussed the issue and decided to give a message for protection of government installations at all costs but short of starting a military operation.

The sources said a group in the PML considered a military operation disastrous for the country and supported a negotiated settlement of the issue, whereas hawkish elements in the government, including the federal security agencies, feared that things would slip out of hand if an operation was delayed.

PML leaders, including Chaudhry Shujaat, Mushahid Hussain and Syed Kabir Ali Wasti, are reportedly in constant touch with senior Baloch leaders, including Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and Ataullah Mengal, and trying to convince them to come to the negotiating table. The ruling party's leaders are expected to visit Balochistan soon.