GWADAR: The Federal Minister for State and Frontier Regions, retired Lt Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch, has urged “angry Baloch youths who have gone to the mountains” to come to the negotiation table because the use of force does not solve any problem.

Talking to local PML-N leaders and workers, other people and government officials in the Town Hall in Panjgur on Sunday, he said the federal government wanted to resolve the Balochistan issue through dialogue and had repeatedly invited the disgruntled youths to hold talks.

“The people of Balochistan are suffering because of the shabby situation in the province,” Mr Baloch said, adding that the government was sincere in trying to resolve the outstanding issues through talks with all stakeholders.

He said the government had launched Zarb-i-Azb military operation (in North Waziristan) to eliminate terrorist organisations and rid the country of terrorism. The operation would be expanded to other areas of the country, including in Balochistan.

The minister said the elements challenging the writ of the government did not deserve any concession.

He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was paying special attention to the development of Balochistan, which was evident in the allocation of Rs1.7 billion for the Gwadar port.

The 18th constitution amendment, he said, had empowered the provinces to independently take decisions on launching development projects and solving their problems. “So it is not justified to blame Punjab for the backwardness of Balochistan because the provincial government is enjoying maximum autonomy and has powers to take financial decisions.”

The minister said the federal government granted over Rs100bn to Balochistan every year and it was the responsibility of the provincial government to utilise the huge amount for betterment of the province through financial discipline and good governance.

Restoration of peace was needed for speedy development of Balochistan, he said, and added that peace could be restored only when issues were resolved through negotiations.

He said the federal government had allocated Rs260 million for development of Panjgur district and termed Panjgur-Basima-Surab road a gift from the centre to the people of the areas concerned.

The road would usher in an era of development.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2015

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