Determined: I won’t be a toothless CM, says Malik
“The day I feel powerless, I’ll step down,” says Malik.
“All those who live in Balochistan, including the Punjabis and other ethnic groups, belong to Balochistan and Balochistan is their land,” says Dr Malik. PHOTO: EXPRESS/ FILE
QUETTA:
Hours after his nomination, Balochistan’s chief minister-designate Dr Abdul Malik said that he would not be a toothless chief executive. “The day I feel powerless, I’ll step down,” Malik told journalists at the MPAs Hostel in Quetta on Sunday.
“We never indulged in corruption – and we’ll not allow corruption in the province,” said Dr Malik, who is also the president of National Party. He thanked the PML-N for reposing trust in him and said that he would resolve the myriad problems confronting Balochistan with the help of allied parties.
The chief minister-designate also called upon other nationalist parties to help his administration in steering the province out of the prevailing morass. “We appeal to the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) to join hands with us to resolve the festering issues of Balochistan,” he added. “I’ll meet Sardar Ataullah Mengal and [BNP-M chief] Sardar Akhtar Mengal to ask for their support.”
Akhtar Mengal and lawmakers of his party had resigned from the assemblies in protest against the killing of Jamhoori Watan Party chief Nawab Akbar Bugti in a military operation in 2006. Mengal went into self-exile in 2008. He returned to Pakistan in March 2013 to lead his party in the May 11 elections.
Dr Malik held out an assurance that the killers of Nawab Bugti would be punished according to the law of the land. “I worked with Nawab Bugti. He was a respectable man,” he added.
Asked about the possibility of peace dialogue with Baloch separatists, the chief minister-designate said he was willing to meet any individual or party that could convince the separatists to come to the negotiating table. “Within the framework of Pakistan, we would try to move forward for the development of Balochistan,” he added.
However, Dr Malik said he did not believe in general amnesty. “A situation has to be created where all parties sit together to find a solution to all festering problems, including enforced disappearances and alleged extrajudicial killings,” he said.
Referring to increasing attacks motivated by ethnic hatred, Dr Malik said. “All those who live in Balochistan, including the Punjabis and other ethnic groups, belong to Balochistan and Balochistan is their land,” he said.
About the economic deprivation of Balochistan, Dr Malik said that people in 30 districts of the province were living below the poverty line. “We’ll focus on improving the living standards of these people,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2013.
Hours after his nomination, Balochistan’s chief minister-designate Dr Abdul Malik said that he would not be a toothless chief executive. “The day I feel powerless, I’ll step down,” Malik told journalists at the MPAs Hostel in Quetta on Sunday.
“We never indulged in corruption – and we’ll not allow corruption in the province,” said Dr Malik, who is also the president of National Party. He thanked the PML-N for reposing trust in him and said that he would resolve the myriad problems confronting Balochistan with the help of allied parties.
The chief minister-designate also called upon other nationalist parties to help his administration in steering the province out of the prevailing morass. “We appeal to the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) to join hands with us to resolve the festering issues of Balochistan,” he added. “I’ll meet Sardar Ataullah Mengal and [BNP-M chief] Sardar Akhtar Mengal to ask for their support.”
Akhtar Mengal and lawmakers of his party had resigned from the assemblies in protest against the killing of Jamhoori Watan Party chief Nawab Akbar Bugti in a military operation in 2006. Mengal went into self-exile in 2008. He returned to Pakistan in March 2013 to lead his party in the May 11 elections.
Dr Malik held out an assurance that the killers of Nawab Bugti would be punished according to the law of the land. “I worked with Nawab Bugti. He was a respectable man,” he added.
Asked about the possibility of peace dialogue with Baloch separatists, the chief minister-designate said he was willing to meet any individual or party that could convince the separatists to come to the negotiating table. “Within the framework of Pakistan, we would try to move forward for the development of Balochistan,” he added.
However, Dr Malik said he did not believe in general amnesty. “A situation has to be created where all parties sit together to find a solution to all festering problems, including enforced disappearances and alleged extrajudicial killings,” he said.
Referring to increasing attacks motivated by ethnic hatred, Dr Malik said. “All those who live in Balochistan, including the Punjabis and other ethnic groups, belong to Balochistan and Balochistan is their land,” he said.
About the economic deprivation of Balochistan, Dr Malik said that people in 30 districts of the province were living below the poverty line. “We’ll focus on improving the living standards of these people,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2013.