Balochistan active volcano: Shujaat

ISLAMABAD - Terming Balochistan an 'active volcano, PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain Wednesday asked the government to raise the issue of Indian involvement in the province and Fata at the United Nations forum, as the governments functionaries had time and again claimed of neighbouring countrys support to militants in the restive territories of Pakistan. In an exclusive interview with TheNation, Ch Shujaat said that those who were fighting in Swat and Fata in the name of Taliban and Islam had nothing to do with the religion and were defaming its image across the globe. They are all criminals who intend to destabilise the country on foreign nod and our party is supporting military operation there for the integrity of the country, he added. But on the other hand, the issue of Balochistan is purely political and there is no option of using force to resolve the crisis, he said, adding that the government would have to win the hearts of Baloch people to end persistent unrest there. He said the crisis of Balochistan could easily be resolved through negotiations 'and first of all we should find reasons behind the turmoil and then address them without any procrastination. He said if the government tried to deprive Baloch people of their rights and used force at any stage, his party would resist the move first of all. He said anti-Pakistan forces were lending their whole-hearted support to miscreants and militants in Balochistan and Fata, adding a number of government functionaries had also admitted and alleged that there was involvement of external forces in these restive areas. But the government has failed to plead the case at international forum. When India can approach to UN on Mumbai attacks, why Pakistan cant plead the case of Indias support to miscreants in Balochistan and Fata there, he questioned. Shujaat said the people of Balochistan were crying for justice, adding the resources of any province should first be employed for the betterment and welfare of the people of that particular province. When the dwellers of Wazirabad would be enjoying the facility of natural gas while the villages in Sui would remain deprived of the facility, the ultimate cry of pain will echo, he added. He said that there was no need of calling APC on Balochistan issue. It is the problem confined in the boundaries of Balochistan and a man or party having representation or base in Gujranwala cant understand it and give recommendations regarding its solution, he observed. He said that the government should take Baloch leaders, tribes and masses on board and ask them about their grievances and resolve them on war footing. He said that many Baloch leaders were living in Dubai and London in forced exile and the government should announce amnesty for them and also take them on board for broad based solution of Balochistan crisis. When asked what he had done to resolve Balochistan issue when PML-Q was in power, he said the committee headed by partys Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed had played a pivotal role in finding the causes of the issue but, unfortunately, its recommendations could not be implemented in true letter and spirit. He said that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani too, in his recent visit to Quetta, had hailed the recommendations of PML-Q committee and had said that they should be implemented. On the question about the hurdles in the way of implementing said committees recommendations, Shujaat said that according to establishments paradigm, it was strong Federation that was necessary for strong provinces 'while my party thought and still thinks that the strong provinces make strong Federation. He said it was that kind of mindset that turned the committees work into a failure. He said that the parliamentarians of Balochistan should be given special funds so that they could launch development schemes in their respective constituencies for redressing peoples sufferings at grassroots level. He said that there should be no political victimisation in the Balochistan. On party elections, Shujaat said that he believed in free and fair party polls and like previous elections, this year, too, the polls would be conducted under an independent commission in which every one would have the right to contest. He said that PML-Q and PML-N could not establish proximity and coordination till the PML-N defined its position. PML-N is boarding on two boats; it is the part of the government and also declares itself as Opposition, he observed. He said that terrorism was also a form of calamity while the incumbent government had virtually failed to get international support in terms of financial assistance. During earthquake 2005, all the world came forward to help Pakistan and the assistance by international community was 200 per cent greater than what we are getting today, he said, adding that it reflected diplomatic failure of sitting regime. Terming budget 2009-10 as anti-poor, he said that his party had done major contribution in Senates 91 recommendations regarding finance bill.