KARACHI, Feb 8: The government should hold a roundtable conference of elected representatives, members of parliament, public leaders and chieftains of major tribes on the Balochistan issue.

This was stated by speakers of a moot on “Importance of regional harmony”, organized by Hamdard Thinkers’ Forum (Hamdard Shura) here on Tuesday evening at a local hotel, with Qutubuddin Aziz in the chair.

They said that a roundtable conference was necessary to solve the problems of the province and to end the ongoing violence between tribal militants and security forces through mutual understanding and consultations. They asserted that only negotiations could bring peace to the province.

Col (retd) Mukhtar Ahmed Butt, addressing the meeting, said that enemies took advantage out of our differences. He said that in this situation further fanning the Balochistan issue would not be a wise move.

Haq Nawaz Akhtar, ex-chairman Pakistan Steel, said that instead of powerbrokers talks should be held with the people of Balochistan.

He said that a country could not be run through powerbroker Chaudhries and Sardars.

He demanded that basic rights, social justice and equal opportunities should be provided to the Baloch people and discrimination against them should be ended.

He said that bringing peace and development to Balochistan would yield positive results.

Mohammad Ahmed Sabzwari, an economist, said presidential candidate of US Democratic Party John Kerry visited Pakistan but he did not face media to avoid questions on Bajaur incident. He said that in just same fashion Indian opposition leader Jaswant Singh during his visit to Pakistan did not utter a single word against the Indian government.

“But our opposition leaders are always ready to severely criticize the national policy of their country.”

Dr Syed Amjad Ali Jaffery was of the opinion that a defence and trade treaty be inked by Iran, Pakistan, India, China and Russia in order to bring harmony in the region. He said this treaty should also be aimed at solution of Kashmir dispute according to the wishes of Kashmiris.

Prof Dr Waqar Ahmed Rizvi said said that unity was the only way to solidify the freedom.

Ikramuulah Khan said every government of Pakistan had propped and nurtured Sardars of Balochistan. “Now time has come to stop this practice.”

He said that the present government should continue its policy to avoid Sardars and to make development for the betterment of common people of Balochistan.

Engineer Anwarul Haq Siddiqui said that for the solidarity and survival of the country feudalism and Sardari system should be abolished forthwith.

Islamuddin Agha in his address said that no more privileges should be given to anyone in Balochistan. He opined that rule of law, respect of law ands equal treatment of citizens should be maintained in whole country, particularly in Balochistan.

Anwer Aziz Jakartawalla said that to create a sense of harmony and unity, main roads and important places should be named after provinces and its noble citizens, as done in Indonesia.

He said that we did not have an opposition leader like Indian opposition leader Jai Parkash Narayan, who never came into power and became immortal. He said that wrongdoing of opposition should also be criticized.

Hamdard Foundation Pakistan and Shura Hamdard Pakistan President Sadia Rashid was also present. The moot participants congratulated her on completion of Hamdard’s 100 years in 2006. A cake presented by Anwar Aziz Jakartawalla was also cut on the occasion.

Qutubuddin Aziz in his address suggested that the Hamdard should also carry out its projects to prepare and market its medicines and other products in the Gulf region, as an Indian company had established its plants in Dubai to produce Ayurvedic medicines.—PPI