PML President Shujaat seeks Balochs’ help in resolving crisis
By Attaul Mohsin Syed - Pakistan Times Staff Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: PML President Ch Shujaat Hussain, who is also head of the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan Sunday held talks with some leaders from Balochistan in Islamabad and also had telephonic conversation with Nawab Muhammad Akbar Bugti.

They discussed matters relating to the situation in Balochistan with particular reference to the situation in Sui and Dera Bugti and agreed to resolve the issue through talks.

In Islamabad, Ch Shujaat Hussain, accompanied by Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao and Senator Dilawar Abbas, held talks with Baloch nationalist leaders, Abdur Rauf Mengal and Mahmud Khan Achakzai.

Later, talking to newsmen, Ch Shujaat Hussain reiterated the resolve to find a political solution to the problems facing Balochistan. He said there are certain elements with vested interests who want to exploit the situation in Balochistan.
He urged the Baloch leadership to beware of the nefarious designs of such elements.

He reaffirmed that the government is sincere in its efforts to resolve the situation politically through dialogue.

Call to Balochs

He has called upon Baloch nationalist leaders to support government in finding a peaceful and political solution of the crisis-like situation in Balochistan.

After a meeting with Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao on Sunday, Shujaat said, “We are in negotiations with Baloch leaders in the Centre and we are hopeful that they will visit Balochistan with us to resolve the crisis.”

He said the government did not start the operation in the province but it only defended it.

“It is government’s duty to protect its national installations and we did it. We will utilise all our available resources to protect our national installations in the province in the future as well,” he said.

“We have asked Baloch leaders to take back their resignations and join Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan. Mehmood Khan Achakzai will contact his leadership in Balochistan over the matter they have assured us.”

He said: “We got good response from the meeting. Even I contacted Bugti and asked him to cooperate with us for solution of provincial crisis.”

“I am ready to go to Balochistan and will take entire parliamentary committee with me to the province and meet Nawab Akbar Bugti and other nationalist leaders for resolving the crisis”, he said.

Aftab Ahmad Sherpao

Interior minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao told newsmen that Ch Shujaat Hussain has spoken to Nawab Akbar Bugti to discuss the situation in Balochistan.

The Minister was confident that the issue would be resolved through political dialogue. He was of the view that government would never go for a military crackdown in Balochistan. He said the tour of parliamentarians and media team to Sui was cancelled for security reasons and it would soon be reorganised.

He said road leading to Dera Bugti from Sui has been blocked and Bugti tribesmen has taken positions along roadsides. He said FC is facing food shortage but we would make arrangements for supplying them rations.

Bugti's stubborn stance

A news agency report says that, the PML chief said despite government’s contacts, Nawab Akbar Bugti is maintaining his stubborn stance and is not willing to change it.

He admitted that government has increased the number of FC check posts in the area but the only objective of this is to resolve the crisis peacefully.
Ch Shujaat Hussain will soon visit Balochistan to discuss the situation with Baloch leaders, he added.

Abdur Rauf Mengal

Abdur Rauf Mengal, MNA, said political dialogue requires conducive atmosphere. He also spoke about the reasons due to which his party boycotted the proceedings of the parliamentary committee on Balochistan.

He was of the view that Ch Shujaat initiated talks on the Balochistan issue but the law-enforcement agencies started making arrests in the province. He said he would respond to government’s offer of talks after consulting his allies.
The government will have to first improve situation in the province if it is sincere in resolving the issue, he stated.

Rauf Mengal said a list of demands has been put before the government representatives. “We have demanded release of our activists, repeal of cases registered against them and immediate withdrawal of forces from the province.”

We will not continue the talk process until all our demands are met, he added. “The government on one hand is continuing with talk process and on the other hand is persisting with military operation, this is a hypocritical approach and we condemn it,” he maintained.

“If government will not show flexibility then how could they expect flexibility from us,” he added.

Issue of Sui

Talks over the issue of Sui could only take place when government shows some flexibility and creates conducive atmosphere, he added.

He apprised Ch Shujaat that the Baloch leaders want the Parliament to be made fully independent and decisions taken from this platform.

Ch Shujaat said some leaders from outside Balochistan want to exploit the situation for their own interests and designs. He asked the Baloch leaders to play their role in improving the situation in the province.

Phone Call

He also held a telephonic conversation with Nawab Muhammad Akbar Bugti and told him that some people are give wrong colouring to the provincial issue.

The PML President said Nawab Bugti has expressed his willingness for talks with the government.

PM Visits Shujaat

Meanwhile a government handout stated that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz visited the residence of Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain and held a detailed meeting on Balochistan. According to the handout, the PML chief apprised the Prime Minister of his contacts with Baloch leaders.

Despite the fact that three main parties from the province were on boycott, the handout stated that the PML chief also apprised the Prime Minister of the deliberations of the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan.

“It is the earnest desire of the government to resolve the situation in Sui peacefully and amicably. It is also committed to protecting the vital national assets located in Balochistan,” it quoted the Prime Minister as talking to Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain.

“Our doors are open for dialogue and discussion in a spirit of accommodation and understanding. We have a forward looking approach and we want to transform the country,” the Prime Minister added.

On the occasion the Prime Minister reiterated that the government remains committed to speedy development of Balochistan province and improving the quality of life of its people through accelerated economic development.●