KARACHI, March 20: The National Party has called for a 25 per cent cut in armed forces, de-militarization of society and recognition of people’s sovereign right to rule. In a policy statement issued here on Monday the NP held the civil-military bureaucracy responsible for the anarchic conditions in the country.

The country would not have reached at this volatile stage had the Establishment recognized people’s sovereign right to rule over the country and to have control of their own resources, according to the statement.

“The use of force in the past had always multiplied the problems and created hatred against the armed forces as was evident in the crisis of former East Pakistan which resulted in the division of the country,” the statement added.

It criticised the role of civil-military bureaucracy, saying that “it is now committing the same blunder in Balochistan by not accepting genuine political demand of Baloch people and not initiating negotiations with Baloch leadership.”

The NP statement regretted that General Musharraf arrogantly hurled threats at Baloch leaders and sent paramilitary forces and regular army to Balochistan, compelling Baloch youths to defend the land resources of their province.

Consequently, a full-fledged war started in the province, with helicopter gun-ships and jet fighters were regularly bombarding the civilian population.

“This unjustified use of brute force has aggravated the situation and complicated the problem, which was basically a political one and could have been solved through dialogue.”

Secretary General of the NP, in the statement, described the action ‘unjustified’ and ‘detrimental to the country’s integrity’, recalling that three military operations — in 1956, 1958 and 1973 — in the past could not settle basic issues of the province.

He noted that the government had initiated a process to establish good friendly and neighbourly relation with India and for this purpose both the countries had initiated people-to-people contacts. General Musharraf had also declared now that this process was irreversible.

Not only that, the General has also shown willingness to establish relation with Israel. “In such circumstances, is there any justification to build new cantonments in the country?” the NP leader asked.

According to him, the country could not make any progress with a huge army considering the defence expenditure. It was for this reason, he said, the Baloch leadership was not only opposing the establishment of cantonments in Balochistan, but also stressing on a reduction in armed forces.

The NP leader went on to say that political forces in Balochistan were against violence in politics and believed that political matters could be resolved through negotiations.

He termed ‘incorrect’ Gen Musharraf’s claim that the Balochistan problem was related to only three sardars.

He said that under a pre-planned conspiracy, resources of Balochistan were being usurped in the name of development. “This very fact is evident from a former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali’s stand who had refused to use armed forces against Baloch people and this ultimately led to his ouster.

The NP considers Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and Sardar Attaullah Khan Mengal as respected leaders of Baloch people, according to him.

“They had never bowed before any dictator or usurper of power during their whole political life. Because of their principled politics, they had always suffered innumerable difficulties and even imprisonment. The Balochistan issue cannot be resolved without taking these Baloch leaders into confidence,” the NP leader said.

He demanded release of all the innocent people, including some 4,000 political workers, detained during the current operation and an immediate halt to the military operation in Balochistan to pave the way for political dialogue in a congenial atmosphere.