QUETTA, June 14: Balochistan National Congress Central President Dr Hakim Lehri said on Monday that opportunists have sabotaged the rapprochement which occurred recently between the government and three veteran Baloch nationalist figures.

Speaking at a news conference at the Press Club here on Monday, the BNC leader asserted that Balochistan's civilian highups have told him that complaints were raised against mega projects and building of cantonments, but the government wanted a permanent political solution.

Dr Lehri claimed that he had told the concerned quarters that Balochistan has three important political personalities, Nawab Akbar Bugti, Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, and Sardar Ataullah Mengal so talks should be held with them as decision taken by troika would be acceptable to Balochis.

The BNC leader said the provincial government asked him to arrange dialogues with veteran Baloch politicians so that the government team and nationalist figures could sit at the negotiation table to settle issues in a manner that would be acceptable to both parties, so that military operations do not take place.

Dr Lehri said he had accepted the task and met Sardar Ataullah Mengal in Karachi whose response was positive, similarly the talks in Dera Bugti with Nawab Akbar Bugti was satisfactory as he too stressed that political problems should be tackled in a political manner.

However, Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri being indisposed at that time could not be contacted. He regretted that immediately afterwards a news items which can only be termed as character assassination was published in a local newspaper, claiming that he had played the role of a government agent.