KARACHI, Sept 12: A joint rally of Baloch Yekjehti Committee and Labour Party on Tuesday condemned the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti and arrests of hundreds of youth and political workers in Balochistan.

Demanding cessation of the on-going operation, the speakers at the rally called upon the government to hold talks with Baloch leaders for finding political solution of the problem in Balochistan.

The speakers also demanded holding of inquiry of the murder of Nawab Bugti by an independent judicial commission and holding free and fair elections through an autonomous Election Commission under the supervision of a caretaker government of consensus.

The purpose of the rally was to express solidarity with the people of Balochistan and convey to them that they were not alone but people of all provinces, particularly of Sindh were with them.The participants of the rally, which was led by Yusuf Masti Khan, Mairaj Mohammad Khan, Lal Bux Rind, Raheel Iqbal, Shela Ahmad and Usman Baloch, were holding banners, party flags and placards with slogans “Stop killing in Balochistan, they were also raising slogans to hang killers of Nawab Bugti and anti-Pervez Musharraf .

Mairaj Mohammad Khan warned that if the federating units were not given autonomy within the federation soon, it would be a deep conspiracy against the federation.

“The rulers want to break the country by continuing army operation in Balochsitan”, he pointed out and said Baloch Sardars Bugti, Khair Bux Marri and Attaullah Mengal were not traitors. Had they been so, they had opportunity to go on mountains during 1965 and 1971 war to engage a number of army divisions.

He said it was high time for the rulers to read writings on the wall before people were compelled to take to streets by launching a massive movement to force the army to get back to barracks for good.

Lal Bux Rind of National Workers Party said that the country could get rid of oppressors through democratic process only.

Usman Baloch of NWP said that until political problems were solved through political methods, murders of political leaders would go on unabated.

Shehla Ahmad of Labour Party said in autocratic regimes always those leaders were killed who raise voice for the rights of people.

Kamran Abbas of Mazdoor Mohaz said that there was need to formulate strategy by which the army should be sent back to barracks and its interference could be stopped.

Sher Muhammad Baloch of JWP said that the mission of Nawab Bugti would continue.

Raheel Iqbal of PPP said the rulers should sit-down with leaders of Balochistan to determine the quantum of autonomy to the provinces and restore democracy so that country could survive.