ISLAMABAD, Sept 17 President Asif Ali Zardari is seriously contemplating invoking Article 45 of the Constitution and announcing a general amnesty for politicians and political workers of Balochistan against whom cases have been filed.

According to government sources, the amnesty will be announced if Baloch militants and activists promise to renounce anti-state activities.

Article 45 empowers the president to grant pardon as well remission and reprieve to convicts.President Zardari has been discussing the article's application with political aides and experts for quite some time while pursuing his agenda to end a low-intensity insurgency in the province through political reconciliation.

There is, however, no indication yet when such an announcement would be made because the president is currently abroad.

Asked about such a possibility, Attorney-General Sardar Latif Khan Khosa told Dawn he did not know what course of action the government would take in offering a general amnesty in Balochistan, but under Article 45 the president had the power to do so.

He said that besides working on a constitutional package, the government intended to organise an all-parties conference on Balochistan and if an agreement was reached on asking the president to invoke Article 45 “there is no problem in that”.

Mr Khosa explained that Article 45 had two parts —- one relating to pardon before prosecution and the other to remission and reprieve of convicts. The article says “The president shall have power to grant pardon, reprieve and respite, and to remit, suspend or commute any sentence passed by any court, tribunal or other authority.”

Sources said a general amnesty for “everyone” —- regardless of political affiliation and nature of crime —- was on the cards, especially for those who had been booked under treason charges for anti-state activities.

Some in the PPP feel the president should invoke Article 45 on his own, while others say a suggestion should first be sent to parliament and the president should act on the recommendation of the National Assembly and the Senate.

Those who want immediate application of the article believe that with each passing day Balochistan is descending deeper into chaos.

But the party leaders who want approval of the move by parliament first say the government should avoid a solo flight and instead take all parties on board and settle the issue once and for all.

The sources said the ruling party believed that this time round cosmetic measures would not serve any purpose.

Some Baloch leaders, including Brahmdagh Bugti, have been accused of being involved in anti-state activities in Balochistan and other parts of the country.