ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: In a rare demonstration of unity, prominent government and opposition leaders called on Monday for resolving the crisis in Balochistan through dialogue, involving all genuine stakeholders. They also said that autonomy should be granted to the province.

They were speaking at a seminar on “National dialogue on Balochistan conflict,” organised by four leading non-governmental organisations here. There was also near-consensus that the objective of a political solution to the Balochistan crisis could be achieved only by ending the military operations there.

Opposition leaders also urged the government to release political prisoners and those detained by security agencies and not to try to replace the existing law-enforcement personnel with police. The politicians also warned that any further delay in the implementation of the recommendations of the committees headed by Mushahid Hussain and Wasim Sajjad would worsen the situation and could have 1971-like repercussions for the federation.

They said the Baloch were not fighting for independence but for their equal rights in the federation – a right the Constitution had given them. They demanded that the government should stop “harassing” Sardar Attaullah Mengal and Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri and should realise that political issues needed political solutions and not the use of force.

PML secretary-general Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed said the core problem in Pakistan was the “mindset” that followed an inherited belief that powers should remain centralised. This was the mindset that caused the creation of Bangladesh. The process was started by a politician (Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) and was given a finishing touch by a military general, Yahya Khan.

“No one can deny that Balochistan badly needs a healing hand,” he said.

He said the ruling PML had opened a debate on how to change this mindset and ensure full provincial autonomy, because strong provinces ensured a strong federation and not vice versa.

He admitted that the National Finance Commission award had been unduly delayed and that Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP felt deprived. He said the committee he was heading had also proposed distribution of resources not on the basis of population but on the basis of backwardness of a province. Besides, it had proposed a new formula for gas royalty.

Replying to a question, he said all political leaders, including Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, should be allowed to return and contest the next general election.

He hoped there would be a consensus between the government and the opposition on the issue of provincial autonomy.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Raza Rabbani of the PPP, questioned the validity of Mushahid Hussain’s committee when most of its recommendations had not been accepted by the government.

“Sir, most of the recommendations of your committee were never implemented. May I remind you that despite the recommendations of your committee Nawab Akbar Bugti was martyred.” Mushahid Hussain replied that “only a few” of his committee’s recommendations had not been implemented.

Mr Rabbani said there could be no peace amidst a military operation, detentions and disappearance of political workers and killings of women and children. He made it clear that no political dialogue would serve the purpose of peace and development in Balochistan if genuine politicians were not included in the process.

He said there was no need for building more cantonments in Balochistan as recognised by the committee headed by Mushahid Hussain.

“There are already 43 cantonments in Balochistan, six others are being built and three more are being planned. There are already three naval bases in the province. So what’s the need for building more cantonments?” Mr Rabbani asked.

He said there had been no NFC award so far, and Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yousaf Jamali had no right to hand over his powers to the president.

PPP’s finance secretary Senator Babar Awan held the military responsible for all the ills of the country and destruction of political institutions. He said those who were making claims of development in Balochistan must put a simple question to themselves whether complete provincial autonomy was guaranteed in the 1973 Constitution, and if yes, whether Balochistan ever enjoyed this.

He said it was a matter of shame for the government that it never repented the killing of veteran Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti.

Kachkol Ali Baloch, Leader of the Opposition in the Balochistan Assembly, Rahim Ziaratwal, vice-president of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Balochistan, and Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali, Deputy Chairman of the Senate, also spoke on the occasion.

The Baloch leaders demanded full provincial autonomy and control over natural resources to enable the province to come out of the vicious cycle of debts and budget deficits and improve lives of its people.