Baloch Assembly Speaker demands army's inclusion in negotiations with province's nationalist leader

Islamabad, Mar 20 (ANI): Balochistan Assembly Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani has said the army should be included in negotiations with estranged Baloch nationalist leaders.

He said negotiations with the nationalist leaders would not be fruitful unless all stakeholders, including the army, were included in the process.

"Army's role in Balochistan is a reality and, therefore, it should be included in the dialogue," The Dawn quoted Bhootani, as saying.

Bhootani said the army had its own opinion on security issues in the province and political leaders and parties had their own stance.

He said it was not yet clear who had been fully empowered to initiate contacts and hold dialogue for resolving the Balochistan issue.

"There is ambiguity about the authority for initiating the dialogue with the angry Baloch leadership," he said, adding that it was not known whether Governor Nawab Magsi, Chief Minister Nawab Raisani or a committee had been authorised for the purpose.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Chief Minister Raisani had made sincere efforts to resolve the longstanding issues, but people were not properly informed about the progress made in Balochistan, he added. (ANI)