News
Friday, August 10, 2012
‘Only joint efforts can bring peace in Balochistan’* Former Senate deputy chairman says settlers and teachers are fleeing Balochistan due to target killings
By Safiullah
QUETTA: The participants of the Peace Conference on Thursday stressed upon the need for joint efforts on the part of civilian and military leadership, civil society and politicians to restore peace in Balochistan.
The event was organised by a non-governmental organisation, Bardasht. Balochistan Assembly Speaker Muhammad Aslam Bhootani said, “Balochistan has experienced multi-dimensional problems over the last few years which had left people traumatised and devastated.” He said that starting from earthquake, terrorism, health issues and catastrophes and other issues, one after another had brought the morale of inhabitants down.
“All in the name of peace, we are not at war but there is no peace and it is universally acknowledged fact that we are playing battleground in the name of bringing peace to us,” he added. Former Senate deputy chairman Mir Jan Jamali said that due to deteriorating law and order the people could not travel from Quetta to Kalat and Zhob. He regretted that because of target killings, settlers and teachers had fled from Balochistan.
“Peace was dented in Balochistan after stakeholders expressed zero tolerance for harmony and brotherhood,” he said.
Former federal minister Zubaida Jalal urged civil society, social activists and politicians to play their role for securing peace and normalising the situation in Balochistan.
Nilofar Bakhtiar, the chairwoman of Bardasht, said, “It is need of the hour for bringing change to steer a culture of tolerance and non-violence at all levels in society.” she also said that all stakeholders should contribute to peace building and tolerance.
Awami National Party leader Dr Anayatullah opined that Balochistan issue had become more complex and complicated.
Balochistan Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Dr Ruqayya Saeed Hashmi said that target killings and violence had contributed to security instability in Balochistan. She said that about 260 civilians were killed in incidents of target killings and terrorism in Balochistan during 2012. She said that violence against women in Pakistan was a major problem.
Dr Zafar Qadir, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chairman, said, “We have to finalise our disaster management keeping in view calamities of glacier outburst, snow avalanche, land sliding, flash floods, drought, forest fires, industrial accidents and oil spills in sea. He said that as a nation, we are not taking serious steps to adopt principles of disaster management to deal with natural calamities.”
Balochistan Minister Rahila Durrani lamented that on one hand recent geological survey had suggested that Quetta might suffer 1935-like earthquake and, on the other hand, people were constructing multiple-storey houses and shopping centres in narrow streets of the provincial capital.
Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Asim Kurd said, “Revolutions in Afghanistan and Iran left their impacts on Balochistan and promoted Kalashnikov culture and sectarian intolerance in our province.”
Begum Rehana Yahya, National Party leader Dr Shama Ishaq, Balochistan ministers Dr Ghazala Gola, Nasreen Khaitran, Fauzia Shaheen, Dr Rasheed Tareen, Abdul Mateen and others also spoke on the occasion.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk