Govt ignoring Balochistan’s problems: Raisani

* Outgoing PPP provincial president says leaders turning a ‘deaf ear’ to province’s problems

By Mohammad Zafar

QUETTA: Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani, the outgoing provincial president of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Balochistan, claimed that the government had ignored the pressing problems of Balochistan, which was the main reason for his decision to resign from the party post.

Talking to reporters at the Sarawan House on Tuesday afternoon, he said he had strong reservations about the government approach towards the important problems of Balochistan, including target killing, kidnapping for ransom and missing people. He accused government leaders at various level of turning a deaf ear towards the problems of Balochistan and also the minimum discipline within the rank and file of the PPP. Raisani, who is also a senator, said he had taken up the issues with leaders “off and on and was finally frustrated and decided to quit the party post”. When informed about the statement of PPP Central Secretary Information Fauzia Wahab, he said that she should disclose the facts that led to his removal from the party post. “I had dispatched my resignation twice because as a political leader it was my political responsibility to quit the post of provincial president if issues were not being given priority. I thank party leadership for approving it,” he said referring to the statement made by Fauzia, in which she said that Lashkari was removed from the office. He added that if he indeed had been removed, then the PPP information secretary should have also disclosed a reason. Raisani claimed that foreign forces were taking full advantage of the prevailing law and order situation and the coalition government was not responding to the threats to national security. “Nor are they interested to take counter measures off-setting the designs of others,” he added.

Responding to a query, he said that if the Balochistan government did not have the mandate to address the issues or hold talks with annoyed Baloch leadership, then ministers must come up with a final decision and avoid paying frequent visits to Islamabad for mandate. “Balochistan’s issues need to be resolved according to the will of the people of this province,” said Raisani. He added that no one was interested in party organisation or party discipline which was deplorable and not a good omen for the PPP in Balochistan.

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