Govt, BNP-M decide to follow 6 points

[ahlam1399]

ISLAMABAD: The government and its ally Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) have agreed to move under a mechanism on six points on the basis of which Sardar Akhtar Mengal party had agreed to join hands with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.Speaking here at a joint news conference with Mengal, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak, who is a senior PTI leader, said that the BNP-M’s six points had been thoroughly discussed and agreed upon by the government. It is needless to say that the announcement will ease the government's concerns ahead of the crucial vote on the budget in the National Assembly.Mengal had met Prime Minister Imran Khan the other day leading his party delegation and announced not to be part of Maulana Fazlur Rehman convened All Parties Conference here. However, BNP-M had, earlier, threatened to abstain from voting on the budget and asserted to go with whosoever could address its grievances.Though Mengal and some of other party leaders had been talking of parting ways with the government, if there remained no progress on their points. But, a threat at this crucial stage sent a wave of uneasiness among the government circles and firefighting job was kicked off immediately. On the other hand, BNP-M had meetings with some key opposition leaders as well.The minister said that PTI government was not stepping back from the six-point agenda of BNP-M and emphasised that there were differences with its ally and agreed to Mengal that Balochistan’s problems were political in nature.Khattak pointed out that the government would take measures for ending loadshedding in Balochistan and was already providing Rs9 billion subsidy.Khattak and Mengal said that an agreement had been reached between the two sides. Briefly discussing the points agreed upon, Khattak said that the government had formed a committee to address the matter of missing persons in Balochistan.He explained that the other matter raised by BNP-M was regarding water, and it had been promised to them that several small dams would be built in the province to help in water conservation. Moreover, the feasibility for two larger dams was also being initiated and work would begin on them as soon as the related process was completed. The minister said, “Another issue discussed in the meeting was the sense of insecurity that the people of Gwadar feel because of a large number of outsiders that are going to the area as it witnesses development activities. There is a fear that these people may be able to obtain identification cards from the area and the Baloch majority may become a minority”.“We have held out an assurance that a bill will be tabled in the National Assembly to ensure that such a situation is averted and the rights of the people of Gwadar are protected,” the minister continued.Khattak said that a gold refinery would be set up in Balochistan to benefit the province and its people. Another point raised by BNP-M was the unfulfilled promise of six percent government jobs being provided to people of the province. He added that they had been assured that the promise would be fulfilled and, with time, Balochistan would get its fair share of government jobs as per its quota.The last point on the agenda of the meeting was about the honourable repatriation of Afghan refugees from Balochistan, which both sides agreed on. On his turn, Mengal said that he was grateful that the government had taken the time to ease the party’s concerns.He clarified that it should be known that the differences between the two sides were not developed because of BNP-M, indirectly blaming the other side.The BNP-M leader pointed out that during the discussion the prime minister had assured him that no reduction would be made in the NFC award with regard to Balochistan and that the 18th Amendment would also not be rolled back.“These rumours were floating around, but the truth is that to make both these changes, we need a two-thirds majority (in the NA) and we do not have that. Thus, to the people creating these rumours, I would like to tell them that they should stop lying so much,” Khattak interjected.Mengal said he had suggested to the prime minister that a committee of political leaders be sent to Balochistan to properly understand the grievances of the people there and once it returns, the committee should present a report to Parliament and then whatever decision is taken on the matter will be acceptable to his party.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/cOX-hkIIZzA

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