QUETTA - Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that federal government was serious about addressing the grievances of Balochistan people and it will hold dialogue with all the disgruntled Baloch leaders.
Kaira arrived in Quetta on Saturday along with other two members of the federal cabinet’s special committee on Balochistan – Farooq H Naek and Sardar Umer Gorgage. Talking to the media at the airport, the minister said they would focus to find out a durable resolution to issue.
He said the government would hold dialogue with all disgruntled Baloch leaders, including those living abroad, as he said they were not disappointed and vowed that the situation would not be allowed to reach point of no return.
The minister said the slogan of separation was only being raised by a handful of people and that it was not a popular demand in the province. As the issue of provincial autonomy had been resolved, so the talk of Balochistan’s secession would not be tolerated anymore, he added.
Kaira said that provincial government was primarily responsible for maintaining law and order in the province; however, federal government was supporting Balochistan in this regard.
He said that in order to ameliorate the environment for a broader reconciliation President Asif Ali Zardari apologised from the people of Balochistan for the injustices and excesses meted out to them in the past, though he was not personally responsible for it.
Citing the amendments in NFC-Award and Balochistan development package by PPP government, he said it would be wrong to say that nothing had been done by the government. “But we understand that we need to review the situation and see what else we can do to resolve the issue.”
Kaira said the purpose of the cabinet’s special committee was to find the factors inhibiting the normalisation of situation despite taking of several steps by the federal government.
“The committee has already consulted with various agencies, besides Balochistan governor and the chief minister, and they will now meet various other stakeholders as well and then furnish their recommendations before the cabinet.”