‘Don’t delay resolving Baloch issues’

Retired senator and central leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, Mir Munzoor Gitchki, on Sunday warned Islamabad that any further delay in resolving the issues of Balochistan would end in catastrophic results and the responsibility would rest on all institutions and their heads.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Gitchki, whose nomination papers were rejected for senate election for not being allotted party ticket, said the recent tripartite agreement between Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan had created reservations among the Baloch population. He said the Balochistan issue needed due attention after having been debated upon internationally. He said the powers-that-be would have to play a role and the country would have to be run through a new system so that all nationalities should get equal rights. Otherwise, he cautioned, Balochistan could be out of control and might secede.
He said the fire burning in Balochistan was fueled by the wrong policies of Pervez Musharraf, adding that the sentiments of the Baloch could not be pacified in the wake of the killing of Akbar Bugti, as even his family’s females were not being spared and were brutally killed. Gitchki said after Musharraf’s exit, people expected the situation to be brought under control by taking some measures for building confidence in Balochistan, but extra judicial killings started by adopting the kill-and-dump policy and over 400 youth have been killed so far. He regretted that nobody was ready to take responsibility for the killings and the rulers did not bother about the consequences. The PPP leader said both the federal and provincial governments could not exonerate themselves from these killing and dumping of dead bodies of Baloch youth. He said the rulers did not have the capability to resolve Balochistan’s issue for being toothless, as all powers lay with the military. Gitchki said both the political and military leadership would have to embrace the Baloch population by realising their responsibilities.