QUETTA: Balochistan is an integral part of Pakistan and Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-Awami) has been struggling for the rights of people for years, said party leaders at a public meeting on Monday.

Senator Sardar Israrullah Zehri, who was re-elected as BNP-Awami’s president in the party’s two-day central council session in Panjgur, presided over the meeting. Asadullah Baloch was elected secretary general and Syed Ehsan Shah senior vice president.

“BNP-Awami is the only party which can and will protect the rights of the people of Balochistan and will not comprise on the province’s constitutional rights,” said Senator Zehri.

“Our party is the only forum which ensures the rights of all nationalities living in Balochistan,” he said, adding that it was time for the Baloch youth to work for the development of the province. The Baloch youth should focus on their education and use their abilities for solving the problems of other people, he added.

He claimed that people sitting in the current provincial assembly were not true representatives of Baloch people. “They have not solved problems being faced by the people of the province. They are interested only in their own personal benefits and they do politics only for promoting their businesses,” he said.

The senator criticised the former chief minister of Balochistan, Dr Malik Baloch, and levelled serious allegations against him.

According to the BNP-Awami president, the former chief minister had stopped allowances of government employees and allotted land to his relatives in Gwadar.

The party’s president said that the BNP-Awami had been focusing on improving the education and health departments.

Senator Zehri suggested that 50 per cent of Balochistan’s resources should be spent on health and the other 50pc on the promotion of education in the province.

Discussing the issue of Afghan refugees, he said that they were a burden on the province’s economy. “Afghan refugees should be sent back to their country for the sake of law and order in the Balochistan,” he said, adding that they were involved in lawlessness and other criminal activities.

Other office-bearers

Mir Muhammad Rind was elected as vice president of the party, Abdul Ghafoor Bizenjo as deputy secretary general, Advocate Saeed Faiz as secretary for human rights, Noor Ahmed Baloch as labour secretary and Dr Nashnas Lehri as information secretary.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2017