QUETTA: Khan of Kalat Mir Suleman Dawood told a Baloch delegation that only the 'Grand Baloch Jirga' which had sent him abroad has the mandate and power to make a decision regarding his return.
The Balochistan government's delegation, which met the self-exiled Baloch leader in London last week, quoted him saying, "Only the Grand Baloch Jirga has the mandate to make an appeal to me about my return."
"My endeavor is for the people of Balochistan," said Dawood, when he met the delegation.
Read: Zehri to meet Khan of Kalat
"People of Balochistan desire your return so you can play a leading role here," the delegation informed Dawood during their meeting.
Balochistan Services and General Administration Department (SGAD) Minister Nawab Muhammad Khan Shahwani, Member National Assembly (MNA) Sardar Kamal Bangulzai, Senator Mir Kabir Muhammad Shahi and Provincial Adviser on Finance Mir Khalid Langove had earlier met the Khan of Kalat in order to persuade him to return to Pakistan.
All delegation members belong to the ruling National Party, a Baloch nationalist group.
The delegation informed the Khan of Kalat that a gulf had formed owing to his prolonged absence from the political and tribal arena of Balochistan.
Almost all members of delegation belong to Mastung, Quetta and Kalat districts, and have personal relations with the self-exiled Baloch leader.
The delegation held a comprehensive meeting with the Dawood but failed to convince him to return to the country.
Chief of Jhalawan and Senior Balochistan Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri also spoke to the Khan over the telephone with respect to the political and tribal situation in the province.
Also read: Khan of Kalat being persuaded to return home
Nawab Zehri requested Dawood to return to his homeland and play his part in Balochistan's reconciliation process.
The PML-N led government has launched a reconciliation process in Balochistan, which aims to bring an end to the insurgency plaguing the province.
The government of Balochistan had also passed a unanimous resolution in October 2014 which had appealed to Dawood to return to his country.
Further reading: Grand jirga in Kalat decides to move ICJ
The last grand Baloch jirga was held after a gap of 103 years in September 2006. It was convened by the Khan of Kalat and was held in Kalat. Tribal leaders and elders from Balochistan were invited to the jirga, which discussed the situation in the province with special reference to the killing of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.
The jirga was attended by Nawab Aslam Raisani, Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and other notable elders and tribal leaders from Balochistan.
The British government has, since then, provided political asylum to Mir Suleman Dawood, who has been living in London.
