The committee must ensure it knows the extent of its power to implement its recommendations before talking to Baloch tribal leaders, members of the Special Committee on Law and Order Situation in Karachi and Balochistan said in a meeting on Tuesday.
The committee held a meeting with Sardar Mehtab Khan Abbasi in chair since Committee Chairman Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah was unable to attend the meeting owing to illness. The meeting was held to chalk out plans to meet government agencies, provincial governments, civil society and political parties and seek proposals to ensure durable peace in Karachi and Balochistan.
When the suggestion arose to meet alienated Baloch tribal leaders to hear their grievances, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Minister National Assembly (MNA) Ayetullah Durrani said the committee must ensure it knows the extent of its powers before meeting Baloch tribal leaders.
He said, “Tribal leaders will refuse to meet committee members or ask to be informed of the extent of the committee’s empowerment to address their grievances. Some claim you are not the right people to hold talks with. They will, also, ask if the committee is empowered to end security forces aggression.”
PPP MNA Qamar Zaman Kaira endorsed Durrani and said he had been member of the committee which met Akbar Bugti and the first question he asked was, ‘how empowered are you to talk to me’.
However, the committee responded there was difference of opinion amongst Baloch tribal leaders and general public must be taken into account. Kaira differed and said, “In Balochistan, a tribal leaders opinion was general public opinion.” After a debate, Kaira said the committee should not meet Baloch leaders involved in the armed struggle against security forces.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MNA Waseem Akhtar said political parties should provide their suggestion in written form to avoid counter-productive accusations between parties. He said the committee must keep in mind that the role of security agencies has been biased in the past. Sardar Metab Abbassi said the committee should rise above political affiliations and determine solutions from a neutral vantage point.
The Special Committee on Law and Order Situation in Karachi and Balochistan decided to consult all sections of society to achieve durable peace in Karachi and Balochistan and they will meet every day even during National Assembly session to formulate its recommendations in time. It decided all committee meetings will be held in-camera and media will be briefed after them. It decided anyone from the public could provide proposals and this option would be advertisement in print media.
It decided to receive a briefing from the Interior Ministry and visit Karachi and Balochistan to seek suggestions from provincial governments.
It said it will subsequently seek briefings from intelligence organizations, civil society and will turn to politic al parties in the end.
It also agreed to meet aggrieved Baloch tribal leaders in this regard. It decided to form sub-committees to sift through proposals submitted by those they consult.
