ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday held a meeting with Balochistan senators and discussed the overall situation of the province with them.
Those who called on the prime minister included Senator Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti and Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar.
The political situation of the province and proposed talks with angry Baloch were discussed during the meeting. The participants also talked about the impact of the government’s development package on the economy and lives of the common people in the province and deliberated on the decision as having an impact on improving the law and order situation.
Admiring the decision of the premier, the senators assured him of complete support in this regard.
Earlier on Wednesday, the prime minister appointed Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) chief Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti as his Special Assistant (SAPM), a move seen as laying the groundwork for initiating a dialogue with the ‘angry’ Baloch elements.
The appointment of Bugti, a grandson of former Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, is part of major changes in the province announced, which included the replacement of Governor Amanullah Yasinzai with Zahoor Agha.
The move also comes after back-to-back initiatives at the highest level to try to bring the disgruntled Baloch elements into the mainstream and restore the law and order in the province. On Monday, the prime minister himself indicated that he was considering holding talks with the “angry Baloch”.
And on Tuesday, Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa said that Balochistan was in sharp focus of the national leadership and that the army was fully engaged in enabling the national and provincial response in synergy with other institutions of the state.
Though nothing had been stated officially, it is widely expected the Bugti would spearhead the government’s outreach to the disgruntled segments of Balochistan’s society, as the government intends to initiate dialogue in the province with those, who had no links with India.
Balochistan National Party (BNP) General Secretary and former senator Dr Jahanzeb Jamaldini termed Bugti’s appointment a good move, saying that it will help bring the angry Baloch back into the national mainstream. However, he cautioned, “If we see the past experience about talks with Baloch, results remained zero. We are hopeful but let’s see how the government will move further.”
On July 5, PM said that he was mulling to hold talks with angry Baloch in Balochistan so that hostile elements, including India, could not use them to spread chaos.
“It is possible that they [angry Baloch] have grievances and India [can] use them to spread anarchy,” Premier Imran said on Monday while addressing local elders, students and businessmen in Gwadar.
