ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday stunned the members of the Lower House by saying that Dr Allah Nazar was spearheading the separatist movement in Balochistan and was instructing miscreants after people like Hairbiyar Murree and Brahamdagh Bugti had taken political asylum in Europe.
Making a policy statement on the unrest in Balochistan, Gilani said that solid evidence had been found that organisations like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) were involved in the target killings of the settlers in Balochistan. Regarding kidnapping of judges and lawyers, the prime minister said that he had ordered an inquiry into the incident and had directed the interior minister to order all law enforcing agencies to ensure the release of the abducted.
He said the war in Afghanistan had provided an opportunity to the Baloch youth to get military training in the neighbouring country which was fuelling terrorism in the province. He said there was solid evidence that foreign elements were involved in aggravating the situation in Balochistan. “The long inter-tribal feuds and mutual differences cannot be ruled out in worsening the security situation and discouraging development schemes in Balochistan,” he said.
Gilani said the issue of missing persons had been lingering on since long and the government had taken solid steps, including the establishment of a judicial commission, to sort out the issue on humanitarian grounds. “The government is making efforts that innocent people should not be included in the list of those who are threat to the national security and sovereignty.”
“I assure you that we will not allow any harm to innocent persons,” the prime minister said, adding that action had been taken in 61 of 114 such cases. He said the 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) Award topped the steps taken by the government to overcome economic deprivation of the people of Balochistan. The province was given Rs 99 billion under the unanimously approved award, he said.
