QUETTA, Nov 25: Jamhoori Watan Party chief Nawab Akbar Bugti has described as positive the outcome of meetings his party leaders have held with Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri and Sardar Ataullah Mengal on his proposal to form a single party of Baloch Nationalists, and indicated that a conference would be held in Quetta soon.

Speaking to newsmen in his native Dera Bugti on Friday evening, he accused force commander and the DCO of Dera Bugti of creating an atmosphere of confrontation in the area.

“The first meeting of JWP emissaries Agha Shahid Bugti and Senator Amanullah Kanrani with Sardar Mengal has been very positive.” They also held a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with Nawab Marri, he said, adding that Nawab Marri had expressed reservations on some aspects of his proposal for a single Baloch nationalist party.

He said that the JWP emissaries had held another meeting with Sardar Ataullah Mengal and discussed with him the reservations of Nawab Marri and other matters.

“There has been a substantial progress on this important Baloch national issue,” the veteran Baloch leader said.

Sardar Mengal told the JWP leaders, he said, that he would agree to any decision taken by Nawab Bugti and Nawab Marri.

He said Agha Shahid Bugti was staying back in Karachi for more discussions with

Sardar Mengal, while Senator Kanrani had returned to Quetta for meeting Dr Hayee Baloch and Mr Ghulam Mohammad.

Nawab Bugti said that a conference would be held in Quetta and Baloch leaders, intellectuals, writers and other people would be invited to present their suggestions. A date for the conference would be decided after mutual consultations.

Nawab Bugti was of the opinion that the government was working on a plan to wipe out the Baloch national movement and, therefore, efforts must be made to form a single Baloch nationalist party.

About the situation in Dera Bugti and Sui, he alleged that the commander and DCO Dera Bugti were trying to create a “war phobia” and said that the government had increased the number of security forces from 13,000 to 14,500 and 300 to 400 Frontier Force Regiment personnel had reached Sui.

The presence of Rangers in area close to Sindh border had also increased laying a siege on the Bugti area, he

said. Besides, around 1,300 to 1,400 Frontier Force personnel guns mounted on jeeps and other vehicles had been deployed in Kashmore which was merely 30 miles from Sui, he added.

He also alleged that FC officials and the DCO had summoned members of the Hindu community and threatened them with dire consequences if they did not leave the area.