Balochistan situation worse than Swat and Malakand: Jogezai

Former National Assembly Deputy Speaker Sardar Wazir Ahmed Jogezai on Wednesday declared the law and order situation in Balochistan worse than that of Swat and Malakand.
Jogezai emphasised the need to deal strongly with those behind Hazara killings. Hazaras and their friends from other sects were being chased, followed and killed everywhere in the province which made the situation worse than Swat and Malakand, he said.
In an exclusive interview with Pakistan Today, Jogezai disclosed that Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Khan Raisani never considered himself a member of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and was exploiting the province in the name of the party. He said that four years ago during a meeting, Raisani personally told him that he was not a member of ruling PPP and did not owe the party anything.
Jogezai held PPP responsible for the problems being faced by Balochistan stating bad governance as the root of all issues. He believed that PPP should not have formed the provincial government. Instead, he said, they should have formed an opposition that provided positive criticism for the cause of the Baloch people. Jogezai rejected the existence of a strong demand or movement for separation in the province saying that the basic issue revolved around provincial autonomy.
Jogezai stated that there was no need to appease the angry Baloch leadership for a return to normalcy. He wanted the government to focus on providing good governance instead, which would result in public popularity and automatically corner any separatist elements in the province.
Once these elements get weaker, he said, they would definitely turn to the dialogue table. “All you need is good intentions, good brains, commitment, governance, supremacy of law and development works to attract people and earn maximum public support in Balochistan,” Jogezai stated.
Responding to a question in connection with missing persons, Jogezai confirmed that the government claims regarding number of missing persons was correct, adding that those who claim the number to be in thousands were spreading lies to gain public support and pursue their own interests.
The senior Baloch leader was of the view that unless change was introduced in the policies of the government -similar to the 80’s- no peace could be established within the country or abroad. He urged for ending the mindset that propagated regaining Kabul and brining back Mullah Omer’s regime in Afghanistan adding that this approach had played a big part in destroying the country.
He suggested the government to take neighbouring countries including India, Iran and China on board regarding the Afghanistan issue and to convince them for joint efforts for developing Afghanistan.
Jogezai stressed on the need for free quality education in the province to end the growing trends of extremism and sectarianism, adding that sooner or later, the government had to introduce measures for controlling extremism.