March, 22 2005	Tuesday	11 Safar 1426

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QUETTA, March 21: Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf has said that he favours political solution to the Balochistan problems and the paramilitary forces were present in Sui before his government came into power. Concluding a debate on an adjournment motion tabled by opposition members in the Balochistan Assembly to discuss the Dera Bugti situation on Monday, Mr Yousuf said that he was ready to quit his post if bomb blasts or rocket attacks were found to be the result of his being in the chief minister.

Speaker Jamal Shah Kakar presided over the session and the chief minister on a point of order assured the house that his government would punish those who on Sunday night manhandled Dr Hayee Baloch, chief of National Party, in Bolan area. Eighteen members of the treasury and opposition benches participated in the general discussion on the motion related to the Dera Bugti situation.

Mr Yousuf said that Sher Ali, a relative of Nawab Akbar Bugti, has given a formula to resolve the crisis and he would discuss it with the federal government. Sher Ali had called for demolition of Frontier Corps pickets and in response Bugti tribesmen would come out of ditches to ensure reopening of the Dera Bugti road.

The chief minister said that there were no differences with the nationalist parties on the rights of Balochistan but there were differences on the strategy of achieving the objectives. He said that Punjab’s general public, the Pakistan Army or the Frontier Corps was not responsible for the miseries faced by the Baloch people, rather the elite classes of both the provinces were exploiting the poor masses.

He claimed that he had played a vital role in deescalating the tension after the Thursday’s armed clash between security forces and tribesmen. He said that he did it because he was against violence.

Justifying the provincial cabinet’s decision of deploying army in Sui, he said the opposition knew that police or levy force could not counter saboteurs who had fired rockets in Sui.

The chief minister further said that Bambore Rifles, a wing of the Frontier Corps, was not deployed in Dera Bugti by his government, whereas the paramilitary force was there for many years.

Mr Yousuf assured the house that he was ready to accompany opposition members to hold talks with Nawab Bugti to bring normalcy to the troubled area. He said stated that the rights of Balochistan could be achieved by remaining within the parameters of the Constitution and for this purpose he was whole hearted with opposition members. Subversive acts would create complications for the province, he added.

Opposition Leader Kachkol Baloch, criticizing the chief minister, said that instead of asking for deployment of regular troops Mr Yousuf should have personally visited Dera Bugti to discuss the matter with Nawab Bugti.

He declared that there would be no progress in resolving the Sui/Dera Bugti imbroglio until provincial government reviews its decision regarding the deployment of regular troops.

Mr Baloch said that establishment never consulted the Baloch leadership on important decisions that related to Balochistan. The Gwadar project was determined without the consent of the Baloch people and similarly on the proposed Iran-India gas pipeline that would pass through Balochistan they were ignored, he added.

PMAP leader Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal said that to resolve the crisis the federation would have to recognize the provinces’ right on their resources and maximum autonomy to federating units, besides guaranteeing that establishment would respect the Constitution and democracy.