DERA MURAD JAMALI: Former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has said that tribal feuds are a major hurdle in the way of development of Balochistan and urged Baloch tribes to promote tolerance and culture of resolving tribal disputes through negotiations in the larger interest of the province.

Speaking at a tribal jirga held in Nasirabad to resolve a dispute between the clans of Pandrani tribe, he said that tribal feuds were creating hindrances in social, educational and economic development of Balochistan.

He said that it was high time for Baloch tribes to join hands and make collective efforts to resolve disputes between different tribes to pave the way for development of Balochistan.

Mr Jamali said that Balochistan had been playing a vital role in development of Pakistan for the last 72 years through allowing utilisation of its resources for the country, but Islamabad had always ignored the province and done nothing for socio-economic uplift of its people.

“All Baloch tribes should shun their differences and unite for strengthening brotherhood and harmony, instead of indulging in tribal disputes.”

He said that tribal feuds had destroyed Balochistan more than anything else and advised the new generation to focus their attention on education and avoid being involved in tribal feuds.

Mr Jamali urged the tribal chieftains to come forward and use their influence for settling tribal disputes.

Referring to the Covid-19 pandemic, he said that entire world had been plagued by coronavirus hence “we should react as a responsible nation instead of panicking”. He urged the people to adopt precautionary measures to contain the spread of the virus.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2020