QUETTA, March 31: Balochistan Governor Justice (retd) Amirul Mulk Mengal has started consulting tribal chieftains and Ulema to help resolve disputes among different tribes of the province.

The consultation process began at a meeting of tribal chieftains, elders and Ulema at the Governor House here on Sunday.

The Khan of Kalat, Mir Suleman Jan and other prominent tribal chieftains attended the meeting, which discussed the issue in detail. The participants of the meeting assured the governor that they would extend all possible help in settling the tribal feuds.

Speaking to the gathering, Mr Mengal called upon the tribal chieftains and the Ulema to play an effective role in resolving the disputes so that law and order could be maintained and development schemes launched without any hurdles in the province.

“No country or area could be developed until the people of that area resolve their differences and maintain peace and order with joint efforts,” he said, lamenting that tribal feuds had claimed innumerable lives in the last two decades.

The law and order situation was very badly affected due to tribal clashes, which also created hurdles in development activities, he observed and deplored the failure of the government to resolve the disputes.

The governor decided to take more steps to settle the tribal disputes, saying that the tribal chieftains and the Ulema would be consulted to settle the disputes permanently.

He lauded the efforts being made by various tribal jirgas, which helped in resolving some tribal feuds.

“Much more efforts are badly needed for resolving tribal disputes,” Mr Mengal said and added that it would be a great service if the government and the tribal elders succeeded in achieving that goal.

He said the government would fulfil its obligations for maintaining law and order in the province as it was its basic responsibility.

The governor asked the tribal elders and the Ulema to help the government in upholding supremacy of the law.

The Khan of Kalat said it was the responsibility of the tribal elders to make joint efforts for resolving the tribal issues. “Nobody would come from outside for settling these conflicts,” he said and urged the people to make efforts according to the tribal traditions and customs to get rid of the feuds.

Sardar Yar Mohammad Jamali suggested that the issues be resolved through empowered tribal jirgas.

Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi, the former chief minister of Balochistan, called upon the government to take a strict action against those who took the law into their hands.