Balochistan’s political and tribal leaders are persistently persuading the Khan of Kalat, Mir Suleman Dawood to end his exile in United Kingdom and return to Balochistan to play his role in ending the insurgency there even though the Khan recently told a high-profile Baloch delegation that only a Grand Baloch Jirga was mandated to take a decision in this regard.
Sources privy to the developments in Balochistan told Pakistan Today on Tuesday that chief of Jhalwan and Senior Balochistan Minister, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri is determined to visit the Khan of Kalat’s London residence next week to persuade him to return to Pakistan and be a part of the reconciliation process launched by the Balochistan provincial government.
Last week, a high profile delegation of Baloch nationalist leaders led by Balochistan Services and General Administration Department (SGAD) Minister Nawab Muhammad Khan Shahwani was told by Mir Suleman that only the ‘Grand Baloch Jirga’ which had sent him abroad has the mandate and power to make a decision regarding his return.
Member National Assembly (MNA) Sardar Kamal Bangulzai, Senator Mir Kabir Muhammad Shahi and Provincial Adviser on Finance Mir Khalid Langove were the other members of the delegation. All delegation members belong to the ruling National Party, a Baloch nationalist group.
The delegation had informed the Khan of Kalat that a gulf had formed owing to his prolonged absence from the political arena of Balochistan.
Almost all members of delegation belong to Mastung, Quetta and Kalat districts, and have personal relations with the self-exiled Baloch leader. However, they failed to convince him to return to Pakistan.
Nawab Zehri also spoke to the Khan over the telephone and requested him to return to his homeland and play his part in Balochistan’s reconciliation process.
“Zehri is expected to travel to London next week for a meeting with Mir Suleman,” Senator Nematullah Zehri, the younger brother of the chief of Jhalawan told Pakistan Today.
According to some political analysts, the expected meeting between the two Baloch tribal leaders in London was of utmost importance as Nawab Sanaullah Zehriwould soon be installed as the chief minister of Balochistan as per the agreement between the National Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Both the parties had agreed on a power-sharing deal under which each party’s nominee would be appointed chief minister for two and a half years. The term of incumbent Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik is ending in the next couple of months therefore analysts believe that it would not be easy for Mir Suleman to turn down Nawab Zehri’s request to return home.
Senator Zehri, however, denied that Nawaz Zehri would also meet with Mehran Marri, Harbayyar Marri and Barhamdagh Bugti during his visit to England. “Nawab sahib would only meet with the Khan of Kalat. He would not meet others (Baloch leaders) who are involved in the killings of our people,” he added.
The last Grand Baloch Jirga was held after a gap of 103 years in September 2006. It was convened by the Khan of Kalat and was held in Kalat. Tribal leaders and elders from Balochistan were invited to the jirga, which discussed the situation in the province with special reference to the killing of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.
The jirga was attended by Nawab Aslam Raisani, Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and other notable elders and tribal leaders from Balochistan.
The British government has since then provided political asylum to Mir Suleman Dawood, who has been living in London.