QUETTA: Several Baloch nationalist groups have rejected the ‘reconciliation policy’ of President Asif Ali Zardari for resolving the Balochistan issue.

Speaking at a rally on Friday, leaders of the Balochistan National Party-M, National Party and Baloch Students’ Organisation-M said the economic package announced in Quetta by President Zardari was a mockery of sacrifices made by people like Nawab Akbar Bugti and Nawabzada Balaach Marri. They said the leaders had not sacrificed their lives for ‘some billion rupees’.

The Baloch people were waging a political struggle to achieve national rights and to protect their coast and resources, the speakers said at the Science College Chowk. They said the Baloch had already rejected mega projects launched by former president Pervez Musharraf.

They said Balochistan was rich in natural resources and the Baloch people had a right to use them for their own welfare. ‘We won’t need the president’s economic package if we are allowed to use our resources.’

Leaders of the Anjuman Ittehad Marri, Baloch Women Panel, BSO-A, the Baloch Bar Association and Raisani Qaumi Ittehad alleged at another rally, at Mannan Chowk, that Balochistan had been ‘annexed’ by Pakistan without the consent of its leadership in 1948.

They said the parliament of the Khan of Kalat had not approved the accession of the province to Pakistan.