QUETTA, Nov 30: The Balochistan National Party (Awami) has announced that it will continue its struggle for the rights of the province by keeping within the federation of Pakistan.

A national council session of the party, which concluded in Gwadar on Wednesday, re-elected Senator Mir Israrullah Zehri as its president and elected Mir Asadullah Baloch as the secretary-general.

Syed Ehsan Shah was elected senior vice-president, Mir Mohammad Ali Rind vice-president, Saeed Faiz Baloch joint secretary, Noor Ahmed Baloch finance secretary and Dr Fouzia Nazir president of the women’s wing. The post of the party's chief patron was abolished.

The council observed that the rulers should make important changes in the system for making the federation stronger and giving the provinces maximum autonomy and control over their resources.

The participants of the session said the federal government had brought about positive changes in its attitude towards the problems of the province. “The BNP-A will welcome such a process that would help give people their rights at their doorstep,” they said.

Mir Zehri, speaking at the concluding session which converted into a public meeting, condemned the elements which were opposing the development process launched by the government in Balochistan and said his party would oppose terrorism and extremism.

He said his party was struggling for the rights of Balochistan within the framework of Pakistan. “We do not want to do politics outside the limits of Pakistan,” the senator said.

Senator Zehri said that in the past the people of Balochistan had been deprived of their rights, which increased their frustration, but the present government was making serious efforts to solve their problems.

He said the government should take steps for giving maximum provincial autonomy, implementing the job quota in the federal services, gas royalty and share of Balochistan in the Saindak and other big projects.

Provincial Finance Minister Ehsan Shah criticised the politics of nationalist parties and said they were creating hurdles in the way of development of Balochistan. He said the people of Balochistan needed those people and parties who could develop the province.

He said these so-called nationalists had done nothing for the people of Balochistan when they were in the government.

He said the government was taking steps for solving the problems of poor people of the province.

“We are the real nationalists who want to develop Balochistan,” he said.

Asad Baloch said the so-called nationalists were fighting to protect their own interests, adding that people would reject them in the next elections.

Provincial Minister Mir Asghar Rind said that BNP-A would not allow anti-development elements to create hurdles through subversive activities in the development process.