Raisani again offers olive branch to insurgents

Governor and Chief Minister reiterate dialogue offer to angry Baloch elements and pledge to protect legitimate rights.

QUETTA: Governor Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani have reiterated the dialogue offer to angry Baloch elements, especially the insurgents, and pledged to protect their legitimate rights.

They were talking to the media separately after a passing-out parade held in Quetta on Friday. As many as 4,000 youth from Balochistan were recruited in the Pakistan Army, as the passing-out parades were held simultaneously in Zhob, Sibi, Khuzdar, Sui and Kashmore.

Nawab Magsi, who was also the chief guest on the occasion, said that the army recruitments were not only encouraging the Baloch youth to become soldiers, but also helping normalise the province’s situation. He added that more recruitments will also address the economic problems of the Baloch people.

Nawab Magsi also praised the army’s performance in Balochistan, saying it was playing a pivotal role in educating Baloch youth besides recruiting them in the Army.

When questioned about his role as a tribal chief, the governor responded: “Being a Baloch my tradition called for resorting to vengeance. If someone kills my people, I will retaliate in a similar manner because I am a Baloch.”

Referring to elements who are fighting  among the hills, Nawab Aslam Raisani said that the government invites the angry people to negotiate with the government, assuring that their legitimate grievances will be addressed.

Replying to a question, the Balochistan CM said that the federal government so far had not given him clear mandate to hold dialogue with the angry Baloch leaders, who were fighting in the hills for their rights.

“Once I am given a clear mandate, I will make a formal offer for dialogue,” he said, adding that he had already invited the angry Baloch leaders to take advantage of the national reconciliation process mitigated by the government. Referring to the law and order situation, he said that it had become a colossal problem which was not confined to Balochistan alone.

Responding to a query, he said: “The situation can be gauged by reading daily newspapers which illustrate that targeted killings and bomb blasts have become a routine matter. The provincial governments are making all-out efforts to overcome the issue,” he added. He suggested that all federating units should be given powers in accordance with the Pakistan Resolution, which was passed in 1940, enabling the provinces to become strong and autonomous.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2010.