QUETTA, March 19: National Party chief Dr Hayee Baloch said on Sunday that progressive and nationalist political groups in Balochistan would soon form a united front to challenge what he called state aggression against democratic forces in the province. Dr Baloch was speaking at a press conference at the MPAs’ hostel on Sunday. Leader of the Opposition in Balochistan Assembly Kachkol Ali and the party’s MPAs Jan Muhammad Buledi and Rehmat Baloch were present on the occasion.

Dr Baloch alleged that the military operations in Dera Bugti and Kohlu and the crackdown on activists of nationalist parties in Makran were part of a sinister plot to seize control of the coastal belt and capture the resources of Balochistan.

“People have just two options in the existing situation. They can either surrender their constitutional and political rights or challenge the unlawful methods,” said the NP leader. “History has shown that democratic forces always triumph against dictators when they rise up to protect people’s rights,” he said.

Dr Baloch said human resource development was imperative for economic progress but pointed out that in Balochistan the rulers had shown little interest in tapping human potential. “The main objective has been to steal the province’s resources and subjugate genuine political forces through the state apparatus.”

He said the federal interior minister had admitted that 4,000 persons had been detained in Balochistan. “If these persons had committed any crime they should be produced before the courts as per the law.”

He alleged that the rulers were at war with political groups in the four provinces and said that the army chief was unwilling to allow Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif to play their due role. He also claimed that the rulers had forced Nawab Bugti to take refuge in the mountains and had misbehaved with Nawab Marri.

The NP leader said that bomb explosions had occurred in various parts of the country due to the government’s injudicious policies against political and democratic forces.

Dr Baloch warned that oppressive measures would invite a violent backlash. “Any extra-constitutional measures of the anti-people rulers will force the people to opt for other means to get the nation rid of military dictatorship,” he said.

He called upon the rulers to understand the gravity of the situation in Balochistan and Waziristan and initiate dialogue with the political leadership in an effort to settle issues politically. He also called for withdrawal of forces from Dera Bugti and Kohlu and immediate release of all political detainees.