QUETTA, March 13: MMA leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed has stressed the need for peacefully resolving the Balochistan issue and called for a ceasefire in Dera Bugti and Kohlu areas.

The MMA’s deputy parliamentary leader in the National Assembly was speaking at the press club here on Monday.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmed announced that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal would help mediate to end the conflict and prevent the loss of innocent lives in the confrontation.

MMA leader pointed out that both the government and tribal chieftains in Dera Bugti and Kohlu were blaming each other for planting landmines, and said that the unending confrontation would result in nothing but loss of precious human lives on both sides.

Hafiz Hussain Ahmed expressed the hope that the rulers and Nawab Bugti, Nawab Marri and Sardar Mengal and other tribal elders would positively respond to the MMA efforts and hold negotiations for a political settlement of the issue.

He said that the MMA leaders would not hesitate in contacting the army, nationalists and tribal chiefs to cool off the situation and pave the way for a dialogue to sort out a solution.

The MMA leader also stressed the need for convening a joint session of parliament to debate issues of Balochistan and Waziristan and said that sincere parliamentarians would extend their help to defuse the situation.

He said that MMA would no longer remain a silent spectator as bloodshed continued in Balochistan and Waziristan, adding that it would harm the country’s solidarity.

MMA leader reminded that Maulana Fazalur Rehman had offered to resolve the Waziristan issue through negotiations in the National Assembly by involving tribal elders of the area, who had representation in parliament.

He welcomed Nawab Akbar Bugti’s statement that if the government took sincere steps, there would be no crisis and said that the statement had prompted the alliance to offer its mediation role.

Hafiz Hussain urged President Pervez Musharraf to stop issuing statements in the context of tribal system’s legitimacy and said it would create complications.

He said that rapid geopolitical changes in the region — like signing of an agreement between US and India on civilian nuclear energy, Afghanistan’s accusations vis-à-vis infiltration of terrorists, the US threat of use of force against Iran and the turmoil in Waziristan — necessitated for all to make efforts to save the nation.