Balochistan turmoil: Hopes of lighting peace pipe with Baloch chiefs fizzle

Gilani’s proposed peacemakers’ team not formed.


Qaiser Butt June 24, 2012

ISLAMABAD:


The federal government and the Balochistan government are yet to nominate the members for a cabinet committee that will open talks with the disgruntled Baloch leaders to negotiate a settlement of the Balochistan crisis.


The disqualification of the prime minister and the hullaballoo for the election of a new one may further delay the start of peace talks with the angry Baloch leaders.

These talks were considered crucial in controlling the deteriorating law and order in the province.

The federal cabinet had announced last month that it would form a committee to engage the angry Baloch leaders in peace talks.

The now disqualified prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had chaired the meeting attended by federal ministers, army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, ISI head Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani and Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi.

It was decided that the federal and provincial governments will have three members each on the committee.

Keeping in view the urgency of the matter the committee was to present its report to the prime minister every week.

It was also entrusted a task to monitor the implementation of federal government’s legal, political, economic, constitutional and social initiatives in Balochistan.

The people of Balochistan were eagerly waiting for the nomination of the six members from federal and provincial cabinet, said Mir Jan Jamali, former deputy chairman of the Senate.

Jamali said that the success of the proposed talks depends on the sincerity of both the  parties.

“The terms of reference and scope of the committee are yet to be decided. The scope of the cabinet committee would be crucial for the opening and success of the talks,” he said.

The Baloch leaders would assess, before entering into the dialogue, whether the government was keen to have a political solution to the crisis, Jamali said.

A former federal minister from Balochistan, Ammanullah Gichki, expressed doubts about the success of the proposed peacemakers’ committee.

“Before accepting an invitation for a dialogue, the disgruntled Bloch leaders would like to know whether the cabinet committee would be empowered to implement an accord, if reached between the two parties,” Gichki said.

He said that such talks would only bear results when the Bloch leaders would accept the writ of the government.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 24th, 2012.

COMMENTS (2)

Mir Baloch | 11 years ago | Reply

Balochis demand complete withdrawal of army from all areas to start any peace process.

Baluch | 11 years ago | Reply

Nothing less than Azaad Balochistan

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ