September 19, 2008	Friday	Ramazan 18, 1429

QUETTA, Sept 18: Senator Talha Mahmood, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, has urged the government to end the military operation in Balochistan and initiate dialogue with militants.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, he said the people of Balochistan had complaints against officials of the Frontier Corps and Coast Guard and he would convene a meeting of the Senate committee to address their grievances.

He said the nation was facing serious problems and the government had done nothing to curb inflation, create employment and provide safety to people.

He said that the poor gained nothing from the removal of Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf and had no interest in issues like restoration of the judiciary. “They need essential food items at subsidised rates and jobs for youths.”

He urged the government to provide maximum relief to the poor.

Mr Talha said the government should formulate a policy on the war on terror in accordance with the wishes of the people of Pakistan and not on the US dictates.

He said the Senate committee had given one month to the Balochistan police chief to submit a report on the killing of two women in the name of family honour in Naseerabad.