ISLAMABAD, Feb 28: Recovery of weapons from 'the castle of Nawab Khair Baksh Marri', private jails and indications of torture cells demonstrate that nationalist leaders have nothing to do with economic betterment of their people.

"Nationalists wish to keep their people backward and slave," federal Minister for Defence Rao Sikandar Iqbal said in his statement issued here on Monday. He said that nationalists were amassing weapons to damage national assets.

The minister applauded the role of police and intelligence agencies and said that law enforcement agencies were playing a significant role in protecting national assets in Balochistan. "After the recovery of weapons, it seems that warlords in Balochistan are amassing weapons under a pre-planned act and are avoiding talks," he said.

He said that the de weaponization campaign in Balochistan would continue and urged people who wished progress and prosperity in the province to support the government efforts. The minister expressed the government's resolve to carry out mega projects which would curb the system of slavery and feudalism in Balochistan. -APP