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ISLAMABAD, March 21: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Monday advised Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti to help create conditions conducive for a dialogue, and said that the government was ready to implement some of the recommendations on which the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan had reached a consensus. He said a negotiated settlement of any political issue could not be achieved in the presence of blocked roads and trenches. Addressing a crowded Press conference in his parliament house chamber, after holding a meeting with the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan, the prime minister said the government was fully committed to implementing the parliamentary committee?s recommendations on Balochistan as it was comprised members of all political parties represented in parliament.
He rejected speculations about powers of the committee and said the committee had the mandate to study the situation of Balochistan and prepare recommendations for the government to implement.
In reply to a question about the possibility of his meeting with Nawab Bugti to help restore law and order situation in Balochistan, the prime minister said that Parliamentary Committee chairman Chaudhry Shujaat had already had a detailed telephonic conversation with him (Nawab) and if need rose he (the prime minister) would also be available to meet Nawab Bugti.
He said he had given assurance to the committee that the government had no intention of carrying out any military operation and that the army deployment would remain confined to protecting Sui installations which had been done on the request of the provincial government.
Responding to committee?s reservations on the Frontier Corps deployment in Sui and Dera Bugti areas, he said the paramilitary troops had been sent there to protect national assets and they were only defending themselves against fire coming from other side.
The FC members would remain there and Their patrolling would also be continued till normalcy returned to the area.
He said he had given a go-ahead to the parliamentary committee to send a parliamentary delegation to Dera Bugti and Sui areas to investigate the situation itself and came back with a report for the government.
In reply to a question about MQM leader Altaf Hussain?s contacts with Nawab Bugti, he said every party had the right to contact anyone as it provided channels for good atmosphere.
He said whoever tried to help defuse the situation was welcome under the present circumstances.
When asked to dilate upon the crux of the Balochistan problem, the prime minister admitted that the issues between the province and Centre were quite old. He said the present government had made deliberate attempts to resolve problems of poverty and backwardness by launching mega projects under a comprehensive development strategy.
He attributed bad law and order situation in Balochistan to bad relations between a few Baloch Sardars and the government.
He dismissed as completely baseless an allegation that Iran could be behind instigating the Baloch Sardars since its interests had been hit by the Gwadar seaport.
When asked about the resolution of Sindh issue, the prime minister said the prime minister?s inspection commission chairman Maj-Gen Farooq Ahmed had not submitted his final report as yet, adding that as soon as the said report was received next step would be taken.
He rejected speculations about powers of the committee and said the committee had the mandate to study the situation of Balochistan and prepare recommendations for the government to implement.
In reply to a question about the possibility of his meeting with Nawab Bugti to help restore law and order situation in Balochistan, the prime minister said that Parliamentary Committee chairman Chaudhry Shujaat had already had a detailed telephonic conversation with him (Nawab) and if need rose he (the prime minister) would also be available to meet Nawab Bugti.
He said he had given assurance to the committee that the government had no intention of carrying out any military operation and that the army deployment would remain confined to protecting Sui installations which had been done on the request of the provincial government.
Responding to committee?s reservations on the Frontier Corps deployment in Sui and Dera Bugti areas, he said the paramilitary troops had been sent there to protect national assets and they were only defending themselves against fire coming from other side.
The FC members would remain there and Their patrolling would also be continued till normalcy returned to the area.
He said he had given a go-ahead to the parliamentary committee to send a parliamentary delegation to Dera Bugti and Sui areas to investigate the situation itself and came back with a report for the government.
In reply to a question about MQM leader Altaf Hussain?s contacts with Nawab Bugti, he said every party had the right to contact anyone as it provided channels for good atmosphere.
He said whoever tried to help defuse the situation was welcome under the present circumstances.
When asked to dilate upon the crux of the Balochistan problem, the prime minister admitted that the issues between the province and Centre were quite old. He said the present government had made deliberate attempts to resolve problems of poverty and backwardness by launching mega projects under a comprehensive development strategy.
He attributed bad law and order situation in Balochistan to bad relations between a few Baloch Sardars and the government.
He dismissed as completely baseless an allegation that Iran could be behind instigating the Baloch Sardars since its interests had been hit by the Gwadar seaport.
When asked about the resolution of Sindh issue, the prime minister said the prime minister?s inspection commission chairman Maj-Gen Farooq Ahmed had not submitted his final report as yet, adding that as soon as the said report was received next step would be taken.
