QUETTA, March 24: A meeting between president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, and Jamhoori Watan Party president Nawab Akbar Bugti at the latter?s residence in Dera Bugti on Thursday appears to have ended the deadlock in efforts to find a political solution to the Balochistan issue. The PML?s secretary general Mushahid Hussain who accompanied Chaudhry Shujaat told the BBC that the talks had achieved a sort of ?breakthrough?. The meeting has ?broken the deadlock?, Mr Mushahid Hussain said.
Nawab Bugti, however, told reporters after the meeting that Chaudhry Shujaat and Mr Mushahid were sincere in resolving the issue but they did not have necessary authority.
The veteran Baloch leader said that if they got powers things could improve, adding that at present power rested with someone else.
He said a lot of issues pertaining to Balochistan, especially the March 17 incident, had come under discussion during the meeting.
He said he could not doubt the sincerity of the two PML leaders for resolving the problems of this province. ?They are our old, sincere friends and they have never deceived us in the past. I am sure they will not betray us,? he remarked.
Replying to a question about the outcome of the talks with the PML leaders, he said: ?We will see whenever something is done in this respect.?
He said that the Baloch people were struggling for their rights. ?We have never made false claims about our rights being snatched. When our own rights are being usurped how could we talk about the rights of others??
Responding to a question about the visit of the PML leaders, Nawab Bugti said Chaudhry Shujaat and Mr Hussain had sent a message that they wanted to visit Dera Bugti to express regrets over the killings of many people there.
If someone wanted to come to express grief and sorrow he could not be stopped, he added.
Chaudhry Shujaat told reporters after the meeting that the Dera Bugti incident should never have happened.
He said that steps would be taken for the protection of the people of Dera Bugti. He expressed the hope that no such incident would take place in the area in future.
He said his visit to Dera Bugti was aimed at seeking help from Nawab Bugti in resolving the current crisis and Nawab Sahib had assured him of his cooperation.
Responding a question, the PML president said that invisible hands which wanted the situation in the province to worsen would be unveiled. ?We will expose the elements who wanted the situation to deteriorate,? Chaudhry Shujaat said, adding that during his presence forces should not have moved towards Dera Bugti. ?It is a regrettable incident,? he said, adding that such moves should be avoided.
He said he should have visited Dera Bugti one month back so that the March 17 incident would not have taken place.
According to reports reaching here, during their stay in Dera Bugti the PML leaders went round the township and witnessed the guest-house of Nawab Bugti and the Hindu Mohalla which were destroyed in the March 17 incident.
The PML leaders had arrived in Sui by a special plane and they were taken to Dera Bugti in a helicopter. Nawab Bugti received the two leaders at his residence.
Sources said Nawab Bugti informed the PML leaders about details of the March 17 incident that claimed a number of lives on both sides.
Both the leaders expressed regrets over the killing of Bugti tribesmen and people of the Hindu community and assured Nawab Bugti that all steps would be taken to avoid such incidents in the future.
Nawab Bugti, however, told reporters after the meeting that Chaudhry Shujaat and Mr Mushahid were sincere in resolving the issue but they did not have necessary authority.
The veteran Baloch leader said that if they got powers things could improve, adding that at present power rested with someone else.
He said a lot of issues pertaining to Balochistan, especially the March 17 incident, had come under discussion during the meeting.
He said he could not doubt the sincerity of the two PML leaders for resolving the problems of this province. ?They are our old, sincere friends and they have never deceived us in the past. I am sure they will not betray us,? he remarked.
Replying to a question about the outcome of the talks with the PML leaders, he said: ?We will see whenever something is done in this respect.?
He said that the Baloch people were struggling for their rights. ?We have never made false claims about our rights being snatched. When our own rights are being usurped how could we talk about the rights of others??
Responding to a question about the visit of the PML leaders, Nawab Bugti said Chaudhry Shujaat and Mr Hussain had sent a message that they wanted to visit Dera Bugti to express regrets over the killings of many people there.
If someone wanted to come to express grief and sorrow he could not be stopped, he added.
Chaudhry Shujaat told reporters after the meeting that the Dera Bugti incident should never have happened.
He said that steps would be taken for the protection of the people of Dera Bugti. He expressed the hope that no such incident would take place in the area in future.
He said his visit to Dera Bugti was aimed at seeking help from Nawab Bugti in resolving the current crisis and Nawab Sahib had assured him of his cooperation.
Responding a question, the PML president said that invisible hands which wanted the situation in the province to worsen would be unveiled. ?We will expose the elements who wanted the situation to deteriorate,? Chaudhry Shujaat said, adding that during his presence forces should not have moved towards Dera Bugti. ?It is a regrettable incident,? he said, adding that such moves should be avoided.
He said he should have visited Dera Bugti one month back so that the March 17 incident would not have taken place.
According to reports reaching here, during their stay in Dera Bugti the PML leaders went round the township and witnessed the guest-house of Nawab Bugti and the Hindu Mohalla which were destroyed in the March 17 incident.
The PML leaders had arrived in Sui by a special plane and they were taken to Dera Bugti in a helicopter. Nawab Bugti received the two leaders at his residence.
Sources said Nawab Bugti informed the PML leaders about details of the March 17 incident that claimed a number of lives on both sides.
Both the leaders expressed regrets over the killing of Bugti tribesmen and people of the Hindu community and assured Nawab Bugti that all steps would be taken to avoid such incidents in the future.