Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi on Thursday said that no one could stop the US from conducting drone attacks in the province if the claims of the existence of the Taliban’s Shura in Quetta were true. Magsi was talking to reporters at the 4th convocation ceremony of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University.
Asked about the presence of Taliban’s Quetta Shura and public apprehensions about US drone attacks, he said, “I have no idea about the presence of Quetta Shura, but if it exists in Quetta, no one can stop the Americans from carrying out drone attacks.” When his attention was drawn towards the killings of five Russian nationals in the province, the governor said,” If they were not suicide bombers, the provincial government should take notice of the incident and judges of the apex courts, who normally take suo moto actions on various issues, should also do so in this particular case.”
Commenting on the deteriorating law and order in Balochistan, Magsi said the governor had no authority to interfere in provincial matters after 18th Amendment, rather the provincial government was competent enough in this regard. He said no progress had been made by the reconciliation committee formed by President Asif Ali Zardari to solve Balochistan’s problems, regretting that the federal government did not fulfill its commitment to sort out the issues of Balochistan.
“The federal government had promised that no cut would be made in the federal PSDP, but still it has been slashed,” he remarked. The governor said the issue of Balochistan could not be solved through convening tribal jirgas, adding that courts existed across the country and the government should do away with the judicial system if it wanted to solve issues through the jirga system.
Magsi said he had played an active role for removal of provincial governments of late Mir Taj Muhammad Jamali and Sardar Akthar Mengal, however, he said he would not become part of any conspiracy against the present ruling coalition led by Nawab Aslam Raisani.
