QUETTA, May 24: Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (Ponam) chief Sardar Ataullah Khan Mengal said on Monday that the alliance was ready to hold a dialogue with the rulers for the framing of a constitution under a new social contract to take the country out of political crisis.

Talking to newsmen at his residence on Monday, he said the rulers should empower the provinces, specially with financial authority, to strengthen the country. He said the United States was a stable country because its states enjoyed maximum powers.

Attaulllah Mengal said he believed in negotiations to resolve the political and constitutional issues between the federation and provinces amicably but the rulers wanted to settle the problems through state machinery and suppress the voice of their opponents.

He said the confrontational attitude of the government would not be in the country's interest. He said the issue of one-unit was settled through negotiations but when former military ruler Yahya Khan tried to crush the Bengalis' movement by force, a part of the country was lost.

He said the rulers must learn a lesson from the mistakes committed by military rulers, who failed to eliminate the parties that had been demanding autonomy to the federating units.

He said the Baloch had apprehensions about the Gwadar and Saindak projects and the Sui gas issue but the government instead of taking the province's leadership into confidence was threatening its political opponents. Such a behaviour would complicate matters, he warned.

About the National Finance Commission award, he said demands of three federating units were being ignored to appease the dominant province. He said the rulers should not launch any development project without the consent of the natives.

He said the Baloch would not comprise on their language, culture and identity, nor would they permit the usurpers to loot the wealth of their motherland.

He said that if the government viewed him as a rigid person, it should initiate dialogue with Nawab Akbar Bugti, Nawab Khair Bukhsh Marri or Mahmood Khan Achakzai to find the solution of the province's political issues. He said the provinces should have power over their resources. He said exploitation or looting of resources would be resisted by all means.