QUETTA, July 24: National Party chief Dr Hayee Baloch said on Thursday that the fresh military operation in Dera Bugti had made it clear that the government was deceiving the people by announcing a policy of reconciliation for resolving issues in Balochistan.

Addressing a news conference, he announced his party’s support for a strike on Friday called by the Baloch Republican Party in protest against the military actions in Dera Bugti and Kohlu districts.

On the occasion, Malik Zahoor Ahmed Shahwani, vice-chairperson of the Balochistan chapter of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and Professor Ghani Buzdar announced that they were joining the National Party.Dr Hayee said the government had failed to move head with its reconciliation approach. State machinery was being used to suppress the political movement in Balochistan, he said, adding that the Baloch people would continue the struggle for their rights.

He said the previous government had also used oppressive methods against the Baloch masses but failed to suppress their political struggle. A political movement with the support of the masses could not be crushed by force, he added.

Dr Hayee urged the authorities in Islamabad to change their Balochistan policy and sit with the Baloch leadership to resolve issues through negotiations. He said the new military actions would yield no result, except creating more distances between the federation and the Baloch masses.

The National Party chief said his party had neither been invited nor it had any information about a conference of all Baloch political parties convened by the Balochistan National Party (Mengal) in Quetta on July 25.