Friday, January 15, 2010
By By Mumtaz Alvi
ISLAMABAD: Balochistan National Party (BNP) President and ex-chief minister Balochistan Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal on Thursday said the solution of the Balochistan problem was in granting it economic, legislative and legal independence.
Talking to The News from Dubai, Akhtar Mengal advocated provincial autonomy to the federating unit in a true sense, not just what he called lip service, billing the recently-unveiled Balochistan package as merely a jugglery of words.
Akhtar Mengal, the son of veteran Baloch nationalist leader Sardar Attaullah Mengal, said they had been pushed to a situation from where they could only wish Pakistan was run as a Federation with the Centre retaining defence, currency and foreign affairs. Akhtar Mengal was released from a Karachi hospital in May last year, which had been declared a sub-jail, after being acquitted in a treason case.
To a question, the nationalist politician made it clear that the Punjab had a crucial role in changing the status and also clarified that they were not against the province, but were weary of the vested interests there.
He noted neither Zulfikar Ali Bhutto nor the military dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was from the Punjab, but their policies towards Balochistan were before the entire Pakistan. He particularly made mention of Musharraf and alleged he had some ego problem with certain Baloch.
Akhtar Mengal, who has been in Germany for the past several days for treatment and is due to return during the third week of January, when asked about his comments on the Balochistan package, charged that it was yet another joke with the people of his province. For instance, he pointed out, despite a series of statements by PPP ministers and even Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani’s categorical assurance, there had been no progress in recovery of hundreds of missing persons belonging to Balochistan.
Asked what could be the reason behind the government’s ‘inability’ on this count, he alleged that the civilian set-up was not more powerful than some other forces. “The recovery of missing persons is very sensitive and very dear to us, but unfortunately, the government appears helpless in addressing this burning issue,” he maintained. Mengal said that the federating units must have independence to legislate on their own and collect revenue and then decide how much of it should go to the Centre.
By By Mumtaz Alvi
ISLAMABAD: Balochistan National Party (BNP) President and ex-chief minister Balochistan Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal on Thursday said the solution of the Balochistan problem was in granting it economic, legislative and legal independence.
Talking to The News from Dubai, Akhtar Mengal advocated provincial autonomy to the federating unit in a true sense, not just what he called lip service, billing the recently-unveiled Balochistan package as merely a jugglery of words.
Akhtar Mengal, the son of veteran Baloch nationalist leader Sardar Attaullah Mengal, said they had been pushed to a situation from where they could only wish Pakistan was run as a Federation with the Centre retaining defence, currency and foreign affairs. Akhtar Mengal was released from a Karachi hospital in May last year, which had been declared a sub-jail, after being acquitted in a treason case.
To a question, the nationalist politician made it clear that the Punjab had a crucial role in changing the status and also clarified that they were not against the province, but were weary of the vested interests there.
He noted neither Zulfikar Ali Bhutto nor the military dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was from the Punjab, but their policies towards Balochistan were before the entire Pakistan. He particularly made mention of Musharraf and alleged he had some ego problem with certain Baloch.
Akhtar Mengal, who has been in Germany for the past several days for treatment and is due to return during the third week of January, when asked about his comments on the Balochistan package, charged that it was yet another joke with the people of his province. For instance, he pointed out, despite a series of statements by PPP ministers and even Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani’s categorical assurance, there had been no progress in recovery of hundreds of missing persons belonging to Balochistan.
Asked what could be the reason behind the government’s ‘inability’ on this count, he alleged that the civilian set-up was not more powerful than some other forces. “The recovery of missing persons is very sensitive and very dear to us, but unfortunately, the government appears helpless in addressing this burning issue,” he maintained. Mengal said that the federating units must have independence to legislate on their own and collect revenue and then decide how much of it should go to the Centre.
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