Cabinet committee to visit Balochistan soon: Naveed

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Syed Naveed Qamar on Wednesday said that special cabinet committee on Balochistan would table its comprehensive report about Balochistan issue in the next cabinet meeting which will decide future line of action.

Talking to media persons along with Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira here after presiding over a meeting on Balochistan Naveed Qamar said, "The committee would visit Balochistan in a couple of days to take point of view of the people there and that would be included in the comprehensive report being presented to cabinet."

He said that Balochistan being an important part of Pakistan, the present government was striving to resolve the issues faced by the province.

Naveed Qamar said PPP-led government has taken several steps to end sense of deprivation among people of Balochistan and Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package was announced to achieve this very purpose.

Most of the points of this package announced by the PPP have been implemented while work on remaining points was underway, as it was an ongoing process, he said.

It would be wrong to say that the package has noting, employment quota and representation has been given to Baloch people as per constitution, he said.

He said, "It is our constitutional obligation to solve the problems of Balochistan and we are doing this with commitment and sincerely."

He said the committee would also look in to steps taken in the past by the government to address the issues of Balochistan people.

"We never said that with constitution of this committee, all issues of the Balochistan would be resoled but we gathered here to give recommendations for finding out solution to all these problems."

To a question he said it is up to cabinet to decide to hold dialogue with angry Balochistan leaders.

Naveed Qamar said issues of Balochistan are very complicated but would hopefully be resolved in due course of time as present government has the will to address all these issues.

Qamar said the government is also focusing to improve law and order situation in the Balochistan.

About missing persons, he said, this is also an important issue and need attention to address it.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said that details related to discussions in the meeting about Balochistan are sensitive and these can not be shared with media at this stage.

Kaira said the committee would also look into the reports of previous government regarding the Balochistan.

"We are serious to address the Balochistan issue and the committee would also take guidelines from the polices of past governments prepared about the Balochistan."

Earlier the committee met here under the chairmanship of Syed Naveed Qamar, Federal Minister for Defence. The meeting was attended by its members federal ministers for Information & Broadcasting, Qamar Zaman Kaira,Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Farooq H. Naek,Federal Minister for Postal Services, Sardar Al-Haj Muhammad Umar Gorgeij,Federal Minister for Interior, Rehman Malik,Federal Minister for Science and Technology Mir Changaiz Jamali, Secretary,Interior Division,Secretary, Law & Justice Division Secretary,Defence Division,Inspector General FC ,Chief Secretary, Balochistan,IG Police, Balochistan.