ISLAMABAD, Sept 16: Expressing concerns over the development in Balochistan following the killing and unceremonious burial of Nawab Akbar Bugti, veteran leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League have demanded a meeting of the party elders to discuss and devise an official policy on the issue.

Lt-Gen (retired) Majeed Malik, an old confidant of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said on Saturday that party’s old guard had no personal differences with the ruling PML chief and secretary-general. He said that they had serious concerns about Balochistan and wanted a party meeting to discuss it.

The old guard meeting held at his residence and covered by a section of press on Wednesday, he said, only discussed Balochistan and PML leadership’s inability to take party’s leaders into confidence.

He said he had written a letter to the PML secretary-general on Aug 31 to convene a party’s executive meeting to discuss Balochistan situation and was told that the message had been conveyed to the party’s president. After waiting for two weeks, veteran leaders of the party decided to meet at his residence to which Chaudhry Shujaat was also invited, but he could not turn up, Mr Malik added.

He said that he was the chief of the general staff when the early 70’s operation was launched in Balochistan and he was in a better position to gauge the gravity of the situation and draw a strategy with the help of other parties.

He said it was a blessing in disguise that there was a weak government in Afghanistan otherwise things would have been much worse.

In his opinion Americans could not see it in their interest that China should run the Gwadar deep sea port.

The PML leader warned that the antagonist nationalist parties were exploiting the Balochistan issue.

Mr Malik said he had held a meeting with former prime minister Balakh Sher Mazari, who had wished a political solution to the Balochistan issue.