ISLAMABAD, March 25: President Asif Ali Zardari will visit Balochistan from March 26 to 28 for consultations with different groups to curb militancy in the province, it is learnt.

“The government wants to address all issues related to security and terrorism by meeting genuine demands of some dissatisfied groups in the province,” a source close to the president said without naming the groups.

There are concerns in the country over reports that the United States plans to carry out drone attacks in Balochistan.

But President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar categorically stated that the reports were baseless and no such thing would happen.

He, however, said that the government wanted to address grievances of all groups and to accept their just demands.

Talking to Dawn, the spokesman said President Zardari’s visit to Balochistan was overdue as he had already visited the NWFP to evolve consensus on ways of curbing the menace of terrorism and militancy.

“As far as the economic conditions are concerned, the government wants to bring Balochistan at par with other provinces. It wrote off its Rs70 billion overdraft so that it could come out of financial crisis and utilise its resources on development,” the spokesman said.

It is learnt that the federal government has asked all groups and parties in Balochistan to adopt a unanimous resolution so that their problems could be addressed amicably.

In his address to the joint session of two houses of parliament on March 28, the president is expected to announce decisions that will meet demands of different groups in the province.

Recently, a grand Qaumi Jirga held in Quetta urged the government to use all resources to curb terrorism and arrest the accused involved in target killings.

The jirga, attended by almost all political parties of Balochistan, condemned the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti and a suicide attack on JUI Balochistan chief Mohammad Khan Sherani.
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