May 06, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 29, 1429

QUETTA, May 5: The Jamhoori Watan Party (Brahamdagh) has declined to hold talks with Senator Babar Awan, secretary of the Balochistan committee set up by Pakistan People’s Party, saying that negotiations are possible only if a murder case is registered against President Pervez Musharraf for killing nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti and other Baloch people and security forces are withdrawn from Dera Bugti and other areas.

JWP leader Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti said at a press conference here on Tuesday that Senator Awan had contacted him and he told him that negotiations could be held only if the conditions were met.

He said that besides registering the murder case the government should stop the military operation, trace the ‘missing’ people, rehabilitate the displaced people, dismantle the cantonment in Sui and release all political prisoners.

Nawabzada Jamil said he belonged to the JWP headed by Brahamdagh Bugti. He said the Baloch people were in a state of war with security forces and talks could be held only if the troops were sent back to barracks.

He said he did not doubt the sincerity of the PPP leadership but would like to know if the reconciliation committee had the power to meet the demands.

He denied reports about withdrawal of security forces from Dera Bugti and Nawab Bugti’s home. He said that security forces had attacked some areas in Dera Bugti on Monday night and the Bugtis in detention were being tortured.

“We will not surrender our weapons because it is against the Baloch tradition. We remember the fate of Nawab Nauroz Khan Zarakzai and other tribesmen who were brought from the mountains under oath and then hanged by army ruler Ayub Khan in the 1960s,” Nawabzada Jamil said.

He expressed the hope that Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani would take steps to address the grievances of the Baloch people.

Responding to a question, the JWP leader said that when Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani was unable to get his order about releasing Balochistan National Party leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal carried out, what could one expect from the committee of Senator Awan.