August 30, 2006	Wednesday	Sha'aban 5, 1427

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LAHORE, Aug 29: The Punjab ARD here on Tuesday expressed complete solidarity with the people of Balochistan in their ‘hour of trial’, and decided to offer funeral prayers for JWP leader Akbar Bugti outside the Lahore Press Club on Wednesday.

Leaders of the parties in the alliance met at the residence of Nawabzada Mansoor Khan and discussed the situation after the killing of Bugti.

The ARD would not hesitate from offering any sacrifice for the solidarity of the country, alliance president Qasim Zia said at a news conference at the end of the meeting.

The participants assailed the government for the wrong policies of the present rulers which, they alleged, had endangered the unity of the state. They urged the rulers to step down so that fresh elections could be held under the supervision of a government of national consensus.

They paid tribute to the JWP leader for his struggle for the country and the Constitution. They said the blood of the Baloch leader would not go waste.

Mr Zia said the ARD would hold a public meeting at Minar-i-Pakistan on Sept 10. A committee had been constituted to make necessary arrangements.

Those who participated in the meeting included Raja Ashfaq Ahmad, Nawaz Gondal, Azizur Rahman Chan, Syed Munir Husain Gilani, Zaeem Qadri, Saifullah Saif, Pir Nau Behar Shah, Abbas Shah, Joseph Francis, Zakariya Butt, Javed Lateef, Mian Marghoob, Rana Arshad, Khwaja Izhar, Tahir Khaleeq, Martin Javed, Mukhtar Malik, Rana Zulqernain and Iqbal Sialvi.

Preparations for the public meeting would come under discussion at a meeting to be held on Sept 1.

Meanwhile, the PML-N cultural wing held Quran Khwani for Akbar Bugti and prayed for the recovery of nuclear scientist Dr AQ Khan.

PWC: The Pakistan Workers Confederation and the All-Pakistan Trade Unions Federation have also expressed concern over the killing of Akbar Bugti and stressed the need for resolving the issue through a dialogue instead of suppression.

Speaking at a meeting of the Pakistan Workers Federation held with Chaudhry Talib Nawaz in the chair, secretary-general Khurshid Ahmad said the government should exercise restraint in handling the situation in Balochistan where the people were finding the goings hard owing to poverty and unemployment.

He said lawlessness resulting from the government policy of repression was bound to add to their miseries. Resolution of the issue through talks was also necessary for the promotion of goodwill among the provinces, he said.