16 February 2005	Wednesday	06 Muharram 1426

KARACHI, Feb 15: Opposition leader in Balochistan Assembly Kachkol Ali advocate has urged the federal government to pull out armed forces from Sui area, stop construction of new garrisons in the province and cancel allotment of lands to non-locals in Gwadar.

He said that these measures would develop a congenial atmosphere for holding talks on Balochistan issue. The opposition leader, who met US Ambassador Ryan Crocker on Monday along with other Baloch leaders, was talking to Dawn on Tuesday before leaving for Quetta.

When asked what transpired in the meeting, he said it was an "exchange of views" meeting on matters pertaining to Balochistan and added that there was no specific agenda or proposal. However, he said: "We have presented our point of views on various issues of the province, including Sui situation, Gwadar, beside law and order situation, when asked by the envoy."

The opposition leader further stated that he had submitted a memorandum to US ambassador on the existing conflict between the federal government and federating units which could only be resolved by fully empowering the provinces with administrative and financial powers.

The memo focussed on the division of powers between the provinces and the federation because under the present arrangement all the financial and administrative powers were centralized by the federal government, thereby creating a disharmony and perpetual conflict between the centre and provinces.

According to the memo, all the successive rulers of the country had failed to end this dichotomy, thereby further widening the gap among the people belonging to diverse cultural and historical backgrounds.