QUETTA, Aug 3: Jamhoori Watan Party chief Nawab Akbar Bugti has said that problems being faced by Balochistan can be resolved if Islamabad changes its attitude towards the province and accepts the realities and constitutional issues. Talking to journalists in his native town Dera Bugti on Tuesday, he said that the crisis being presently faced by the province had been there since 1970 and had only aggravated recently.

He deplored that a parliamentary committee on Balochistan, which related to constitutional reforms, had not yet come up with recommendations. The recommendations made by Mushahid Hussain-led parliamentary committee had been rejected by an alliance of four Baloch nationalist parties, he pointed out.

He said that the government had targeted the Bugti area by deploying security forces there and argued that the area had been chosen for putting pressure on the Baloch people because it was full of ‘bounties’.

“Every thing in Bugti area is visible. If other areas have such things, they are underground,” he said and elaborated, “We have four gas fields supplying natural gas to all over Pakistan and government is earning billions of rupees from these gas fields.”

Nawab Bugti said that the government and the gas company were benefiting from the income. He added that whenever the income was affected, they pointed their guns towards Bugti tribesmen, ‘killing the innocent people and destroying the area’.

He said that the government took action against them to warn others that such action could also be taken against them. He said: “The natural resources are national wealth of Baloch nation and all those who share our benefits and losses are equal shareholders.”

Talking about his proposal of establishing a single Baloch national party, the JWP chief said that if other nationalist parties liked it and considered it applicable, its objectives and programme could be chalked out through discussions. He added that it would take a comprehensive and detailed review of the situation and a consensus among all the political parties of the province to reach at a decision.

However, he said: “All the senior leaders have expressed the desire (to form a united party) but nothing has been practically done to achieve this goal. He said that Sardar Ataullah Mengal’s statement that he would work as a soldier in the united party was a ‘bid to escape from the real issues.”

“I have floated the idea (of a single Baloch national party) and now it is up to them to agree or not,” he said and added, “Those who agree to it should site together and prepare a comprehensive agenda in the larger interest of Baloch nation.”

However, he said that it seemed that the Baloch were involved in petty and selfish feuds among themselves and had little inclination for a collective struggle. He denied any intentions of ‘hijacking’ the leadership of the proposed party and cited his old age as a proof of his honest intentions.

He said that his struggle alongside his allies was focused on the ‘restoration of sovereignty of Baloch nation’. Referring to the government claims of development in Balochistan, he said that around a dozen governments had been established in Balochistan for 35 years but non of them, including his own, had made any real development that could change the standard of life of its people.

“The standard of life of Baloch people has deteriorated and they are denied human rights,” Nawab Bugti said. However, he added, ministers, advisers, government officials and those close to them had prospered as they were busy in loot and plunder of the resources.