October 16, 2006	Monday	Ramazan 22, 1427

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QUETTA, Oct 15: Leader of opposition in the provincial assembly Kachkol Ali has said that the so-called development package of the prime minister would not succeed in making the Baloch people forget the great struggle of Nawab Akbar Bugti who sacrificed his life to protect the resources and coast of the province.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, he said that the prime minister during his recent visit to Quetta had announced a Rs19.5 billion package, which was the same that had been annouced earlier. It has now being given the name of “new package”.

“Such bogus announcements cannot impress the Baloch either to give up the struggle for national rights to control the resources or compromise on the martyrdom of Nawab Bugti,” he added.

He severely criticised what he called the government’s anti-Baloch policies, including the military operation in Kohlu, illegal arrests of youths, police raids on the houses of political workers and denial of political and democratic rights and said that the Baloch would continue the struggle against the usurpers.

Mr Kachkol asserted that Balochistan was rich in resources including oil, gas, gold, copper besides hundreds of kilometres of the coastal belt but the common Baloch man did not have any basic facility due to the looting of their resources by the dominating province which was backed by the army.

The opposition leader who belonged to the National Party said that the Baloch people wanted to have “their say in the decision-making process pertaining to foreign affairs or domestic issues” but the rulers in response only offer us some posts in government departments or announce so-called development packages.