ISLAMABAD, Feb 1: A Baloch tribal leader and member of the ruling party's central executive committee Mir Shah Jehan Khetran has called upon the government to declare Balochistan a weapon free zone.

Talking to Dawn here on Tuesday, Mr Khetran said the government should take a number of conciliatory steps including increasing representation of Balochis to at least five per cent in the federal government services.

In reply to a question about the ongoing tensions in Balochistan, Mr Khetran said instead of launching an army operation, the government should hold a political dialogue with all the tribes and representatives of Balochistan.

He said the government had been selectively discriminatory in holding talks and patronising a few selected tribal leaders while ignoring others. The Baloch leader appreciated the efforts of President Pervez Musharraf for initiating mega development projects in Balochistan and said education and employment opportunities for Balochis would help dispel the sense of deprivation among the people.