LAHORE - Ruling out any resemblance between situation in Balochistan and that in the East Pakistan, former President and head of All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf asserted that the province would remain an integral part of the country.
Addressing the district heads of APML through video conferencing from London on Monday, he said some Baloch leaders were misleading the people by showing a wrong picture of the province.
“They are terrorists and have no support among the people of Balochistan”, he asserted. Ch Mohammed Ashraf, Saima Ali Dada, Hafiz Ghulam Mohi ud Din and others were also present on the occasion.
Pervez Musharraf said situation of East Pakistan was different from Balochistan as former was home to 52 per cent population of Pakistan which unanimously stood to get separated. On the other hand, he said, Balochistan formed a total 4 per cent population of total Pakistan and majority of it had no interest in the agenda of some of the Baloch Sardars whose support was even less than 0.5 per cent.
He claimed that Balochistan witnessed tremendous progress during his eight years long era during which people were given jobs, women university was opened, 9 cadet colleges were announced out of which 5 were established, dams were constructed, scholarships were given to post graduates and huge sum of money was poured into it for development.
He said economic situation of the country was not good due to which a common man had been forced to live a miserable life. He said law and order situation of the country was also quite alarming under the present rulers and killings of Shias in different parts of the country was really condemnable and a matter of extreme concern.
Musharraf said he wanted to make his return meaningful which was only possible if his party showed good number which he could lead to bring change. “First show me your power, I promise you to return, and will convert this power into a movement to change Pakistan,“ he said.