KARACHI, March 19: The National Party has called on the new parliament to cease all military actions in Balochistan and find out a political solution to the problems of the troubled areas by recognising the sovereign rights of the Baloch people over their resources.

Addressing a general meeting of party workers at Old Golimar, NP chief Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch, who was here for a short stay on his way to Khuzdar via Hub, observed that the previous parliament could not play an effective role to resolve the Balochistan issue because “it was not a sovereign body and was used by the military ruler to perpetuate his rule.”

Now, the situation had apparently changed, he said. A new parliament had come to power with people’s mandate, therefore, it was the parliamentarians’ responsibility to exercise their sovereignty and get the military operation in Balochistan stopped without any further delay. He demanded immediate release of political leaders and workers so that a dialogue with ‘the real representatives’ of the public could be initiated to find out a political solution to the problems of the province.

The NP leader regretted that the Balochistan issue had been sidelined by the nationalist leaders “perhaps because they did not want to annoy military leaders.”

The country would not have reached this volatile stage had the establishment recognised the people’s sovereign right to have control over their own resources, he said.

“The use of force had always multiplied problems and created hatred against the armed forces as was evident from the crisis of former East Pakistan that resulted in the country’s division,” he observed and alleged that military rulers were committing the same blunder in Balochistan by not accepting the genuine political and economic demand of the Baloch people.

The NP leader reiterated that the Baloch people had never bowed to any dictator or usurper of power through their whole political struggle, though, some political parties had compromised with the establishment.

The gathering was also addressed by NP leaders Yaqub Baloch, Rauf Baloch, Fidha Hussain, Niaz advocate and Iqbal Hussain. They demanded a halt to the ongoing military operation in Balochistan and release of all Baloch political leaders and workers to pave the way for political dialogue.