Steps underway to place FC under Balochistan CM’
* PM invites Baloch nationalists to negotiating table
* Govt ready to release all political prisoners, except those booked for serious crimes
By Irfan Ghauri
ISLAMABAD: The government is working on plans to put the Frontier Corps (FC) under the administrative control of the Balochistan chief minister, Prime
Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday.
In his concluding speech to parliament’s joint session debating the Aghaze Huqooqe Balochistan package, Gilani said troops had already been pulled
out from the province’s Kohlu district and would soon be replaced by the FC in the district, as well as in Sui.
The prime minister announced plans to create three wings of the FC, which would man the areas vacated by the army and promised that Baloch youth
would be given jobs in the new wings of the force.Negotiations: Gilani again extended an olive branch to Baloch nationalists, including their exiled
leadership, and invited them for talks to resolve all outstanding issues. He also announced various initiatives to pacify the unrest in Balochistan.
“We are ready to talk to all exiled political workers and leaders and hope that they accept our invitation in accordance with democratic norms. I am ready
to visit senior politicians to achieve reconciliation.
I also ask the disgruntled youth to join us and be part of the mainstream,” he said.Gilani said 39 recommendations made in the provincial reforms
package provided a base for constitutional, political, administrative and financial reforms in Balochistan and the review report of the Parliamentary
Committee on Constitutional Reforms would be presented in parliament soon.
Release: The prime minister said the government had decided to release all political prisoners, except those booked under serious crimes, and
announced to withdraw 89 cases against Baloch political workers, however, he did not give details of the cases.
Gilani said the number of missing Baloch people was 992, of whom 262 had already returned home. He said the government had already launched a
probe into the killing of political leaders like Balach Marri, Ghulam Muhammad, Lala Munir and Munir Ahmed while an inquiry into the assassination of
Nawab Akbar Bugti was also underway.
The prime minister said the government was reviewing the role of intelligence agencies in Balochistan and converting B areas into A areas.
Gilani said he had directed authorities to release Rs 1 billion each for the affectees of floods and IDPs of Dera Bugti.
The royalty formula and gas development surcharge formula had also been finalised, under which the province would get an amount of Rs 120 billion
due from 1954 until 1991.
* PM invites Baloch nationalists to negotiating table
* Govt ready to release all political prisoners, except those booked for serious crimes
By Irfan Ghauri
ISLAMABAD: The government is working on plans to put the Frontier Corps (FC) under the administrative control of the Balochistan chief minister, Prime
Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday.
In his concluding speech to parliament’s joint session debating the Aghaze Huqooqe Balochistan package, Gilani said troops had already been pulled
out from the province’s Kohlu district and would soon be replaced by the FC in the district, as well as in Sui.
The prime minister announced plans to create three wings of the FC, which would man the areas vacated by the army and promised that Baloch youth
would be given jobs in the new wings of the force.Negotiations: Gilani again extended an olive branch to Baloch nationalists, including their exiled
leadership, and invited them for talks to resolve all outstanding issues. He also announced various initiatives to pacify the unrest in Balochistan.
“We are ready to talk to all exiled political workers and leaders and hope that they accept our invitation in accordance with democratic norms. I am ready
to visit senior politicians to achieve reconciliation.
I also ask the disgruntled youth to join us and be part of the mainstream,” he said.Gilani said 39 recommendations made in the provincial reforms
package provided a base for constitutional, political, administrative and financial reforms in Balochistan and the review report of the Parliamentary
Committee on Constitutional Reforms would be presented in parliament soon.
Release: The prime minister said the government had decided to release all political prisoners, except those booked under serious crimes, and
announced to withdraw 89 cases against Baloch political workers, however, he did not give details of the cases.
Gilani said the number of missing Baloch people was 992, of whom 262 had already returned home. He said the government had already launched a
probe into the killing of political leaders like Balach Marri, Ghulam Muhammad, Lala Munir and Munir Ahmed while an inquiry into the assassination of
Nawab Akbar Bugti was also underway.
The prime minister said the government was reviewing the role of intelligence agencies in Balochistan and converting B areas into A areas.
Gilani said he had directed authorities to release Rs 1 billion each for the affectees of floods and IDPs of Dera Bugti.
The royalty formula and gas development surcharge formula had also been finalised, under which the province would get an amount of Rs 120 billion
due from 1954 until 1991.
