PPP Senator Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani praying for the rest of soul of Mir Aqmal Raisani on the eve of his Chehlum at Sarawan House in Quetta on Monday. – Online Photo

QUETTA: PPP Senator Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani, who is the younger brother of Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani, said on Monday that Baloch insurgents had contacted him and they wanted to peacefully join the mainstream politics.

“Baloch insurgents have established contacts with me and they have expressed their desire to peacefully join the mainstream politics,” he said.

He said he had informed the prime minister about his contact with the insurgents, adding he could take further initiative after receiving a reply from the premier.

He said that old policies about Balochistan were still being pursued and if the situation did not change, he could also think of going to the mountains like others. He said judiciary should also play its role to protect democracy and national integrity.

Mr Raisani criticised the role of Interior Minister Rahman Malik and said that anti-Pakistan forces would be encouraged if the government did not take notice of allegations levelled by Dr Zulfikar Mirza against him.

He claimed that Mr Malik had always sabotaged efforts made to normalise the situation in Balochistan. He said Mr Malik talked about reconciliation in Karachi, but hurled threats of using “danda” in Balochistan and this aroused suspicions about his role.

He demanded that elements who wanted to dismember Pakistan should be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution.—Saleem Shahid

Opinion

Editorial

Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...
By-election trends
Updated 23 Apr, 2024

By-election trends

Unless the culture of violence and rigging is rooted out, the credibility of the electoral process in Pakistan will continue to remain under a cloud.
Privatising PIA
23 Apr, 2024

Privatising PIA

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s reaffirmation that the process of disinvestment of the loss-making national...
Suffering in captivity
23 Apr, 2024

Suffering in captivity

YET another animal — a lioness — is critically ill at the Karachi Zoo. The feline, emaciated and barely able to...