ISLAMABAD, Nov 11: The combined opposition boycotted a meeting of the parliamentary sub-committee on Balochistan on Saturday and accused the government of `doing politics’ on the issue of provincial autonomy.

Speaking at a news conference at the Parliament House, the leaders belonging to major opposition parties said they had not yet decided to quit the committee, but they would continue to boycott its meetings until the government changed its attitude.

Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Leader of the Opposition in Senate Raza Rabbani, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Senator Prof Khurshid Ahmed, Awami National Party Senator Asfandyar Wali Khan, Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Pakistan Muslim League (N) MNA Raja Nadir Pervez spoke.

They alleged that the government had convened the meeting of the committee after a delay of 18 months only to gain political advantage.

They said that problems had been aggravated to the extent where immediate steps were needed to save the federation and the country. They said the military operation was still continuing in Balochistan and no one could walk freely in the province without proving his or her identity.

Mr Rabbani said the opposition parties had decided to stay away from the committee’s meetings when the Baloch nationalist parties boycotted it after some serious incidents took place in Balochistan.

He regretted that the government had failed to bring the

Baloch nationalists back to the forum despite repeated assurances.

Mr Rabbani pointed out all the political parties had already submitted their recommendations, but the government did not appear to be interested in resolving the issue as the committee had not even met once in the last 18 months.

Prof Khurshid said the government was trying to find solution of the problems through use of force. He called for removal of Gen Musharraf to save the federation.

Mr Achakzai suggested a roundtable conference of all political parties and intellectuals to evolve a strategy to bring the country out of the `quagmire’.

Mr Asfandyar Wali, quoting reports, said that soon after the Dargai suicide attack army recruits and their instructors went hiding in a fort and did not come out for 45 minutes to help their injured colleagues.

"The survival of the federation depends on a sense of participation and a time will come when you will have to give rights to the provinces on their resources," he emphasised.

Mr Pervez said that due to the policies of rulers the war on terror had now shifted to cantonments in the country.