ISLAMABAD, Feb 11: Newly-appointed parliamentary leader of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) in Senate and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar has called for taking immediate steps to resolve the Balochistan issue to avert the possible 1971-like situation.

Speaking at a news conference here on Friday, the PML-N senator called for finding a political solution to the issue instead of using force against the Baloch people. The PML-N senator also stressed the need for implementing all the recommendations to be made by the parliamentary committee on Balochistan.

Mr Dar asked the rulers not to issue threatening statements against the politicians of Balochistan. He demanded that Balochistan Development Authority should be set up for carrying out development activities in the province. He said State Bank of Pakistan should provide soft loans for development projects in the province.

The senator asked the regime to immediately reduce the number of security personnel and check posts in Balochistan. He said the concurrent list should be reviewed and the provincial subjects should be handed over to the provinces.

Mr Dar termed the meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto successful and said both the leaders of the Pakistan's major political parties had agreed to jointly continue the struggle for the restoration of 1973 Constitution.

He said both Mr Sharif and Ms Bhutto wanted free and fair elections in the country under the supervision of an independent election commission. The PML-N senator said the PPP was not making any deal with the government and such reports were part of a dis-information campaign.

In reply to a question, Mr Dar said wedding of Shahbaz Sharif and Tehmina Durrani took place on May 23, 2003 and there was nothing wrong in it. He admitted that Shahbaz Sharif did not disclose it to Nawaz Sharif for a long time due to shyness. However, he denied reports that there were differences between Shahbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif on this issue.