Govt won’t build cantonments in Balochistan: Raisani

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Centre wants to eliminate sense of deprivation among people of Balochistan
* CM reiterates demand for equal rights to all

By Malik Siraj Akbar

QUETTA: The federal government has decided to abandon the construction of military cantonments in Balochistan on the request of the provincial government, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Raisani said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had accepted the request to give up the plans to build cantonments in Balochistan. He said the PM would visit Balochistan soon to give a “healing touch” to the people.

“The landmark decision to stop the construction of cantonments will go a long way in furthering the governments’ goodwill in the province,” he said. “We have been insisting from the beginning that the people of the province should be taken into confidence while making crucial decisions.”

Raisani recalled that the people of Balochistan had not been taken into confidence in the past when the government decided to build more garrisons.

Interest: “The federal government is taking an interest in eliminating a sense of deprivation prevalent among the Baloch. The government has also started to implement a job quota fixed for Balochistan,” he said.

To a question about control over mega projects such as Gwadar Port, the CM said, “We have informed the federal government that the provincial government is capable of handing these key projects. Therefore, they should be handed over to the provincial government,” he added.

The CM said that if these mega projects are handed over to the provincial government, they would remarkably help in improving Balochistan’s economy and bringing the province into the national mainstream. During the previous government, Balochistan was not consulted while inking major agreements with foreign companies.

“The provincial government has reservations over these agreements and it expects that the federal government will review these projects so that the people of Balochistan are assured that they have been taken onboard by the government in making all significant decisions,” he said.

“The signing of agreements without the will of the local people added to Balochistan’s sense of deprivation. Now, we are determined to strive for the rights of the province. It is the time that the voice of the people of Balochistan was heard and respected in the Center. All injustices of the past will be compensated and the process of injustices will be brought to a complete halt,” he remarked.

He reiterated his demand for equal rights to all federating units of Pakistan as envisaged in the Pakistan Resolution of 1940. He insisted that a strong federation largely depended on recognition of the federating units as distinct nationalities.

“We are constantly struggling to end Balochistan’s backwardness and our people’s sense of deprivation by putting it on the path of economic and social development,” he said.

The Baloch nationalist parties have been resisting the construction of cantonments in Sui, Dera Bugti and Gwadar areas.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg7_1