Mengal sets terms for reconciliation talks

Balochistan National Party (BNP) President Sardar Akhtar Khan Mengal has linked his acceptance of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led government offer for reconciliation talks with compliance of a four-point demand note.”Any rational political figure (of Balochistan) would never be a part of a reconciliation process until withdrawal of the troops, recovery of missing people, rehabilitation of the displaced people and release of prisoners,” he told media persons during a meeting at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday.
Holding the dictators and democratic regimes equally responsible for state atrocities against Balochistan, Mengal said the army operation was still on in his province.”Arrest, kidnapping and killing of those wearing Baloch caps and dresses is still unabated in Balochistan, but we are and will remain proud of our culture forever,” he resolved.Praising the PPP government for taking positive initiatives like prime minister’s apology from the people of Balochistan for the past mistakes, the Baloch leader, who was kept behind the bar for at least two years during the reign of President General Pervez Musharraf, stressed the need for confidence building measures (CBMs) in the poverty-hit province. “Until these four steps, which are in fact CBMs, are not taken no participation in any reconciliation process is possible,” Mengal said.Declaring participation of Baloch militants in any reconciliation move as mandatory, he said withdrawal of army was necessary to ensure return of the former to table talks. The PPP, he said had many challenges ahead in the face of a great mess the Pakistan Muslim League-Q led government had left behind during eight years of its rule.To a question, Mengal said no government in past had ever tried to understand the real problem of Balochistan, which is nothing but giving the Baloch people control over the resources of their province.When asked if he was supportive to the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leader’s demand in connection with the Concurrent List, Mengal terming the list a charity said no List was remedy to the problems of Baloch people and if the MQM was thinking it so let them take it.While acknowledging that the resolution of decades-old problems of Balochistan was not possible within days, Mengal, however, said it was not difficult for the PPP government to comply with his four-point demands with immediate effect. To a query, he said it was a historical fact that affiliation of Balochistan with Pakistan was a forced action and not the optional one.He also demanded that all the military generals and their political allies in center and provinces should be impeached for the killing of Baloch people particularly those involved in the murder of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.Condemning the assassination of six youth in Balochistan on Friday, Mengal said those, who had created this environment, should also be brought to justice. He, without naming the United States, said those who were considering Musharraf an inevitable person for Pakistan should replace him with their political leaders like Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton.When asked how his party would respond to the energy projects like Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipe line, Mengal terming the people of Balochistan owners of their resources said minus exploitation protection of their assets would be the responsibility of Baloch people. Earlier, KPC President Nejeeb Ahmed, Vice President Saeed Sarbazi and General Secretary Imtiaz Khan Faran welcomed Mengal and presented a shield to him. Sarbazi extended vote of thanks to the Baloch leader, which concluded the meeting.