ISLAMABAD, March 28: President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz met on Tuesday and stressed the need for establishing the writ of the government in Balochistan “but without holding talks with those tribal chiefs who are out to challenge the authority of the government”.
Sources told Dawn that ‘fresh ideas’ to improve the law and order situation were discussed at the meeting.
The issue of cabinet reshuffle and induction of new ministers in the federal cabinet was also taken up, the sources said.
The prime minister briefed the president on his recent visit to Balochistan and the meeting expressed satisfaction that 15,000 to 20,000 people of Masoori, Kalpar and other Baloch clans had returned to their ancestral homes in Balochistan from where they had been evicted by tribal chiefs many years ago.
The two leaders resolved that the government would continue to help other such victims of tribal chiefs to return to their areas.
The sources said the president and the prime minister had decided to encourage large-scale development work in Balochistan and to effectively protect government installations, including gas pipelines, railway lines and official buildings in the province.
“A development package has just been announced and it was decided in the meeting that another package would soon be announced for Balochistan,” the sources said.
Though the ongoing operation against terrorists and anti-social elements in North and South Waziristan would continue, the president and the prime minister agreed that “jirga system will be encouraged to improve the law and order situation in the NWFP,” the sources said.
The president and the prime minister also reviewed various aspects of economic growth in the country and expressed their resolve to transfer its benefits to people.
They discussed various initiatives taken by the government for poverty alleviation, job creation and stability in prices.
