QUETTA, May 12: Balochistan Chief Minister’s media consultant Raziq Bugti said on Thursday that positive suggestions made by a opposition and a recommendations of the parliamentary committee would help resolve the province’s issue. Addressing a news conference at the press club, he claimed that negotiations between the government and several political groups of Balochistan were progressing satisfactorily.

He said the government was in contact, directly or indirectly, with prominent Baloch politicians, including Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, Sardar Ataullah Mengal and Nawab Akbar Bugti, to resolve contentious issues.

He said successful talks between Nawab Bugti and Pakistan Muslim League chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had resolved the Dera Bugti crisis peacefully and other matters would also be settled.

He said the recommendations of the parliamentary committee would address the grievances of the people in of the province ‘to a great extent’.

Mr Bugti said 38 people had been killed and 52 injured in bomb blasts and rocket attacks during the current year.

He asserted that political issues, including the new National Finance Commission award, could be settled through negotiations.

He condemned subversive acts aimed at damaging electricity pylons, railway tracks and installations.

BSO ACTIVISTS: During a visit to the camp of hunger strikers demanding release of Balochistan Students’ Organization workers arrested in Karachi on March 24, Mr Bugti assured them that the governor and chief minister of Balochistan were taking interest in resolving the issue.

Ataullah Kurd and Abdullah Achakzai, former members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Pakistan Muslim League, respectively, continued their fast unto death for the 10th day to press their demand that Dr Imdad Baloch and other BSO activists be released or produced in court.

Mr Bugti stressed that fast unto death was not a proper way for political struggle.

He said that law-enforcement agencies should not bypass the legal requirements while arresting any citizen.

He said the Balochistan government was concerned over the strike but the incident had occurred in Karachi and the matter would be taken up with the Sindh government.

Meanwhile, Mr Achakzai was taken to the Civil Hospital in the afternoon on doctors’ advice as his condition deteriorated.