Pak Govt not taking 'burning' Balochistan problem seriously: Asma Jehangir

Quetta, Mar 10(ANI): Pakistan's Supreme Court Bar Association President Asma Jehangir has said the government has never been serious about resolving the problems of Balochistan.

Addressing a seminar titled "On Critical Issues of Balochistan, Suggestions and Solutions", Jehangir said the government had never made a committee of members, who would settle the issues by holding talks with the concerned people.

"The statements from the government leaders are irrelevant and are never followed by serious negotiations on the Balochistan issue. Pakistan's sovereignty is attached with the Balochistan and peace is necessary in this region for strengthening Pakistan," the Daily Times quoted the SCBA president, as saying.

She categorically said that the government should send back the Frontier Corps to their military barracks because peace cannot be restored without taking this step.

"Use of police powers by the Frontier Corps is illegal and the FC should be stopped from using these powers," she said, adding, "Those who are sitting in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore do not know about the problems of Balochistan, so how could they give any suggestions. First they have to understand the issues for which a group of intellectuals, political parties and journalists should visit Balochistan and take suggestions from the people."

Asma said that throwing bullet-riddled and mutilated bodies at public places must be stopped, and that all the political prisoners should be released with immediate effect so that grounds could be created for talks and negotiations.

Everyone knows about the 'safe houses' (illegal places of detention and torture) and it is in the knowledge of all that security personnel are operating them, and they must be closed down permanently, she added.

"Balochistan is burning; if fire is not brought under control, it will engulf the entire country," Asma warned.

The policies of dictators are still being practiced in Balochistan where extra-judicial arrests, targeted killings and hostage-taking are the order of the day, she added. (ANI)