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| December 17, 2005 | Saturday | Ziqa’ad 14, 1426 |
ARD seeks political moves to end Balochistan row
LAHORE, Dec 16: The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy on Friday added its voice to calls that Balochistan should be given its due rights to prevent a situation that led to separation of East Pakistan on this day 34 years ago. It also decided to protest in the assemblies and outside till the people of Balochistan were given their rights.
A Round Table Conference, organized by the ARD and also attended by leaders from Balochistan, demanded ‘curtailment’ of the operation being carried out by secret agencies in the province and steps to restore an atmosphere conducive for settlement of problems of the country’s largest province through political means.
Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq presided over the RTC which concluded after adopting a one-page joint communiqué.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan representative Asma Jehangir, Supreme Court Bar Association President Malik Mohammad Qayyum, Humayun Mari of the Jamhoori Watan Party, Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch of the National Party, Senator Sanaullah Baloch of the Balochistan National Party (Mengal), Akram Shah of the Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and others spoke on the occasion.
The Balochistan leaders complained that a large number of industries were being run on gas from their province but the people of Balochistan were yet to be provided with it.
They also said that the younger generation in Balochistan was no longer willing to wait any more for their rights or listen to leaders advising restraint.
They did not agree with the assertion that Gwadar port would improve the economic conditions of Balochistan.
The joint communiqué said that the situation developing in Balochistan could not be overlooked.
“The political parties of Balochistan and other groups are loyal to the country and their struggle…. doest not mean that they be pushed against the wall through relentless use of the state power, or declared enemies of progress.”
The communiqué said that such an approach could imperil existence of the country and provide its enemies an opportunity to exploit the situation.
“The performance of the so-called parliamentary committee on Balochistan has been so disappointing that it has eroded the confidence of Baloch people in parliamentary bodies.
“The situation has led to extensive unrest in the province which the government is using as an excuse to move military and paramilitary units in different areas and resort to large scale arrests in Dera Bugti, Kohlu, Bolan, Chaghi, Nushki, Mastung, Qalat, Khuzdar, Turbat and Gwadar districts.”
The communiqué demanded that identity of those should be revealed who had been arrested by the agencies.
Briefing journalists after the RTC, Mr Haq said that at a time when a sense of deprivation prevailed in Balochistan, use of force could lead to consequences disastrous for the solidarity of the country.
He said that the conference had been held in Lahore to convey a message to the people of Balochistan that Punjab had expressed solidarity with them and had supported their rights.
The PML-N chairman recalled that after assuming power, Gen Musharraf had declared that he would take steps to promote inter-provincial harmony. “But his statement that Punjab will topple any government opposed to Kalabagh dam is an attempt to pit smaller provinces against the biggest one,” he said.
Answering a question, he said although the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) was in favour of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and the NWFP chief minister participating in National Security Council meetings, many in the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal had a different view on the subject.
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