News
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Solution to Balochistan issue multi-dimensional: CM Abdul MalikStaff Report
QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has emphasised that the Balochistan issue was purely a political and economic issue, and added that the issue was not simple but multi-dimensional.
Speaking, on the floor of the House on Wednesday, he said that before starting work on solving the issue of Balochistan, its background had to be comprehended. He further said that extremism and other issues persisted in Balochistan and a joint strategy had to be devised for the solution of these problems.
He was of the view that the issue of law and order was multi-dimensional and its first dimension was the Baloch insurgency.
He said that the people who were called “disgruntled” were actually not annoyed but it was a mindset that prevailed in the entire world.
“The second issue is of terrorism and this too is not limited to our province or country but is an international issue and these people are also divided into two schools of thoughts,” he added.
The CM further said that the third issue was of the absence of good governance during the past 10 years.
“Powerful groups in the past even remained involved in the acts of kidnapping for ransom,” the CM said and added, “We have to analyse and find the solution to all these problems.”
He said that as far as the Baloch insurgency was concerned, the rulers have always had a particular thought towards it.
He said the, “English thinking should prevail where Irish people were waging a struggle and did not accept the sovereignty of England but the UK had adopted the method of negotiations.”
“The England’s model should be adopted in Balochistan,” he said and reminded the House that this was the fifth insurgency in the province and all the previous ones had also been controlled after negotiations with Baloch stalwarts.
“This time too the Baloch insurgency has to be resolved through negotiations,” Dr Malik emphasised.
He said that prior to the negotiations, an environment has to be created for it and the first step in this direction was solving the issue of the missing persons.
“We would form a parliamentary committee for this purpose, which would include the political leaders and social and tribal elites of the province,” Malik Baloch said.
The opposition leader and MPA Hamal Kalmati respectively claimed that 500 and 300 bodies were recovered, however, the CM negated these claims. He said that the official figures stood at only 22 mutilated bodies since January of this year.
He said, “The province was passing through a critical juncture and this time we have to tell our people that the killing of innocent people in Bolan and Pasni is unjustifiable.”
He said that the biggest achievement of this government was rehabilitation of the displaced persons.
He said that people had grievances against Islamabad and the people should raise their voice if Islamabad exploits the people of Balochistan.
He said as far as the issue of sectarianism was concerned, he had consulted the scholars of both schools of thought and work was underway on the issue. He further said. “We would bring the scholars of both the schools of thought on the negotiations table.”
He went on to say that if they could reach rapprochement in Punjab, they could also do this in Balochistan.
He said that the no-go areas were constantly increasing in Baloch-dominated areas. He further said that to end the tribal conflicts between the Baloch and Pushtun society, “we would have to adopt the Islamic tradition of Mehr (Jirga)”.
“The former IG told me that during the last regime’s period 72 gangs were working in Balochistan that were involved in acts of kidnapping for ransom and other issues,” Dr Malik Baloch said
He went on to say that to improve the situation, reforms had been introduced in the police.
He said that the training of the police had also been initiated and Levies force would also be modernised.
He said that since Gwadar Port was in Balochistan, the first right to the port belonged to the people of Balochistan.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk