QUETTA, Aug 30: An all parties conference here on Wednesday decided to back the strike call given by the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy. It linked the return of normalcy to Balochistan with handing over of the body of Nawab Akbar Bugti to heirs.

Addressing a news conference at the press club on Wednesday, Balochistan PPP president Nawabzada Lashkari Khan Raisani said that representatives of the Baloch Alliance, Awami National Party and Tehrik-i-Insaf had attended the APC organised by the ARD.

He held President Pervez Musharraf responsible for the killing of Nawab Bugti and said the ARD had decided to lodge an FIR against the general for killing the chief of the Jamhoori Watan Party.

He said that although leaders of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party did not attend the conference the party had endorsed the APC’s decisions.

Mr Raisani alleged that the military ruler had decided to eliminate political opponents to prolong his ‘illegal’ rule and to ensure that no political leader challenged his authority.

He announced that the ARD would approach the International Committee for Red Cross to get Nawab Bugti’s body because conflicting statements issued by the government on the matter had created suspicion among people.

JWP secretary Rafiq Khoso claimed that the body was in the possession of the army which he said wanted to bury it secretively in Dera Bugti in presence of only two members of the bereaved family. However, he added, the suggestion had been rejected.

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) general secretary Ayaz Khan Swati said that Nawab Bugti had been ‘martyred’ because he had refused to compromise on the rights of Balochistan people.

People’s Party Parliamentarians secretary Bismillah Kakar said two MPAs of the party, Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani and Shafique Ahmed Khan, had submitted resignations which would be forwarded to party chairperson Benazir Bhutto.

He said no political activist was involved in the burning of shops of settlers and added that government agents had done that to sabotage the protest.