June 27, 2006	Tuesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 30, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, June 26: Speakers at a seminar here on Monday asked the government and Baloch sardars to resolve the issue of Balochistan politically and spend the revenue of natural resources of the province on the welfare of its people.

The seminar “Soft image of Balochistan” was organised by the Pakistan International Press Agency (PPA).

Governor Balochistan Awais Ghani, who was the chief guest on the occasion, emphasised political solution to the issue. He said bullets and terrorism had never resolved political issues.

Minister of State for Information Tariq Azeem Khan said Balochistan was the economic backbone of Pakistan and the people of the province had rendered great sacrifices for the country. He said rulers in the past had ignored the people of Balochistan and that’s why they remained tangled in poverty and illiteracy.

But, he added, the present government had initiated a number of mega projects in the province which could change the destiny of its inhabitants. He said the government did not want to use force against Baloch sardars but a handful of the sardars were attacking vital national installations as well as the army and government officials.

Federal Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education Zobaida Jalal highlighted the historic and strategic importance of Balochistan. She said the soft image of the province had much to do with the folklore, poetry, literature, crafts and craftsmanship of the people of the area, where common men and women were the sovereign custodians of this cultural heritage.

She said the government had shifted the paradigm in favour of the people of Balochistan. Today, the province is duly recognised as the future of Pakistan and billions of rupees are being spent on the development projects.

Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Mir Naseer Mengal said Balochistan should be awarded funds either in accordance with its area or the government should come up with a development plan to bring the province first at par with other provinces in terms of infrastructure, health and education facilities and then start awarding funds to the province according to its population.

He said a few sardars were claiming the resources of Balochistan as if the whole province belonged to them. “We are also the sons of the soil and have the right over its resources.”

Haji Mohammad Adeel, senior vice-president of Awami National Party (ANP), held the rulers responsible for the sufferings of Baloch people. He said in the past the state had also tried to use force against the people but could not succeed as arms could not solve the issue of Balochistan.

He said there was still time to resolve the issue through dialogue and give the people of the resource-rich but very poor province its due share in the national wealth and full control over its resources. He said ANP was ready to play the role of a mediator between the Baloch sardars and the establishment to resolve the issue peacefully.

Senators S. M. Zafar and Senator Mohabat Khan also highlighted the issue from various angles and stressed the need for efforts aimed at poverty alleviation, job creation, quality education and strengthening of democratic institutions.

A number of experts who spoke on the occasion also attributed the law and order situation in the province to the ongoing war in Afghanistan, the opening up of Indian consulates in Afghanistan and the involvement of China in the mega projects which was never taken easily by the Americans.