ISLAMABAD: Two federal ministers hinted on Saturday at involvement of local people or organisation in Saturday’s attacks in Ziarat and Quetta, terming such acts unjustified and unacceptable after the installation of a government led by nationalist parties in Balochistan.

Briefing reporters outside the Parliament House on Saturday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan claimed that one of the suspects involved in the attack on Bolan Medical Complex in Quetta had been arrested.

Information Minister Pervez Rashid said at a news conference in categorical terms that the attacks had been carried out by ‘local’ elements.

The interior minister provided complete details of the two attacks to reporters, but surprisingly did not put the responsibility on any organisation or group even though while speaking in the National Assembly earlier in the day he had hinted at the involvement of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in the attack on the Ziarat monument.

In reply to a point of order, Chaudhry Nisar disclosed that the Ziarat residence of the Quaid-i-Azam had been attacked by militants who removed Pakistan’s flag and raised the BLA flag in its place.

Speaking to reporters about the attacks in Quetta, Chaudhry Nisar said first the militants blew up a van carrying the girl students through a remote-controlled device. Later they attacked the Bolan Medical Complex when the injured students were brought there for treatment.

He said the government had made arrangements to carry out a commando operation to rescue hostages, but civil armed forces completed the operation without the help of the commandos.

He said 14 girl students, four security personnel and the deputy commissioner of Quetta lost their lives in the attack. He said four attackers had been killed and one of their colleagues was arrested.

“If he is a genuine terrorist, his arrest could lead to valuable information,” he said.

In reply to a question, Chaudhry Nisar said the government would hold dialogue only with those who wanted to resolve the Balochistan issue through negotiations and warned that it would deal sternly with those who wanted to talk through guns.

Earlier, Information Minister Pervez Rashid said there was no justification for Baloch youths to take up arms after installation of the government of nationalists in their province. Moreover, he said the Baloch should no more be angry as courts had already started trial in the Akbar Bugti murder case.

Responding to a question that the previous government had always blamed foreign elements in the unrest in Balochistan, he said even if this was true the locals were involved as well.

“Despite having a majority (in the Balochistan assembly), we (the PML-N) invited the nationalists to form the government. There is no reason for the Baloch youth to show resentment. If they will do politics of guns, there can be no reconciliation. This is the time for parliamentary politics,” he added.