HYDERABAD, Dec 11 The Balochistan crisis can only be resolved by engaging Baloch leaders into talks as any initiative taken by Islamabad would not yield the desired results, said former Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali.

Making his point more poignant, he called for inviting the people from Khuzdar, Quetta and Kalat for the talks as they were the hardest hit. Jamali said that he gave similar advice to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and categorically told him that an all party conference or a package would not serve the purpose and termed the crisis a 'race against time'.

He told this to journalists at the residence of Sindh People's Alliance leader Dr Irfan Gul Magsi on Friday.

Jamali appreciated the efforts of Senator Raza Rabbani, Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms, especially on issues like provincial autonomy. Supporting Rabbani, he feared the crisis would again be deadlocked if the things did not move within two to three weeks.People of Balochistan should get the relief before the government's writ was eroded, he said while insisting on taking into confidence their leaders.

He questioned as to why the government felt comfortable in contacting the US politician but was hesitant in approaching its own people and warned that the package would collapse if due process was not undertaken.

He said that he was not taken into confidence over Balochistan package but was invited by the Prime Minister when it were to be announced in the Parliament to which he declined on the plea that he knew nothing about the contents, besides he was not even a parliament member.

He directed the questioner towards Baloch people over whether the issue of Balochistan was beyond the provincial autonomy. Former premier supported provincial autonomy as it was guaranteed in the Constitution and called for an inquiry into land allotments in Gwadar.

He said that he was against anti-state people but they had the right to go against the government.

People still remember Gen Ayub Khan and the then prime minister Z.A. Bhutto in reference to military operations in this province, he said while asking the ministers to stop giving different statements on India as it was not our friend.

Jamali reminded the changing of international boundaries after every 45 to 65 years as was evident from the two World Wars.

He said that let the law take its course over Pervez Musharraf and one should not worry if there were any convictions.

Jamali asked those blaming the past government to enquire from the present one, as to what it had delivered in its rule of two years.

He called for the unification of all PML factions for making it the largest political force and said that everyone had become the head of his own faction.

Jamali said that he had requested Pir Pagaro in this regard and also asked Nawaz Sharif and the Chaudhris to unite the party.