QUETTA, Feb 6: The Secretary-General of National Party, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo, has demanded that all agreements signed by the federal government with international firms for exploitation of mineral and other resources of Balochistan be presented in the Senate and the Balochistan Assembly.

"Islamabad is ignoring the people and the Baloch leadership and is signing accords with various international firms without taking them into confidence," he said here on Tuesday.

He described the attitude of the federal government non-serious and anti-people and said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz signed an agreement with the Singapore Port Authority for handing over the Gwadar Port against the will of the Baloch people and without consulting the Baloch leadership.

"This attitude of the federal government exposes the attitude of Islamabad towards this province and its people," Mir Bizenjo said, adding that the rulers were interested only in their commissions and kickbacks in such projects.

Mr Bizenjo said that the Reko Dik mineral project and the Gwadar port had great importance for Balochistan after Sui gas and Saindak projects but the government had along been ignoring the people of the province and their leadership in this regard.

He said that the industry in the country was running on gas from Balochistan, but instead of giving due share to the people of the province the government had been launching military operations in Dera Bugti and Kohlu districts for one and a half years. He said the people of these districts were facing serious problems.

Referring to the Saindak project in Chagai district, Mir Bizenjo said that the Chinese company was earning millions of dollars from the copper-cum-gold project but it was a matter of great concern that Balochistan, the owner of the huge mineral reserves, was being paid only Rs100 million a year.

"Paying Rs100 million annually is peanuts and great injustice to Balochistan," he said.

He warned that the Baloch leadership would not accept any accords signed by the government with foreign firms if it was not taken into confidence and not presented in the Senate of Pakistan and the Balochistan Assembly.

He announced full support for the political struggle launched by the Baloch people and political parties for protection of their rights and resources.

Amanullah Kasi adds: The Balochistan National Party (Mengal) has criticised the federal government’s decision to hand over the operation of the Gwadar Port to the Singapore Port Authority.

Speaking at a meeting held on the death anniversary of Mir Asad Mengal, son of Ataullah Mengal, in Ahmed Khanzai on Tuesday, leaders of the party declared that they would continue their struggle against what they called usurpation of their resources.

BNP-M acting president Malik Wali Kakar, Baloch Students Organisation’s chairman Mohiuddin Baloch, Malik Naseer Shahwani, Musa Baloch, Ahmed Nawaz Bungulzai, Ghulam Nabi Marri and Ghulam Rasool Mengal spoke on the occasion.

Criticising the federal government for bypassing the Baloch leadership and the Balochistan government while deciding to transfer the management of the Gwadar Port to the Singapore Port Authority, the speakers said the decision was an infringement of rights of the Baloch people.

BNP-M leaders cautioned the government and the foreign port authority that the Baloch leadership would not abide by any decision made by the federal government and the Singapore Port Authority without the consent of the owners of the land. They condemned the excesses committed against Sardar Akhtar Mengal in Karachi prison and ex-MNA Rauf Mengal and former MPA Akbar Mengal in Zhob district jail.