May 05, 2008	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 28, 1429

QUETTA, May 4: Senator Babar Awan, the Secretary of PPP’s Reconciliatory Committee on Balochistan, has said that the government has set up two committees for tracing the missing people of Balochistan and settling the internally-displaced people of Marri, Bugti and Raisani tribes in their native areas.

He was speaking at the concluding session of the committee’s three-day deliberations on the Balochistan issue in which it exchanged views with politicians, members of civil society and journalists.

He said Nawabzada Haji Lashkri Raisani would lead the committee on the missing people. Other members of the committee are Sardar Wazir Ahmed Jogezai, advocate Mir Abdul Samad Marghazani, Faizullah, Abdul Rahim Zafar, Advocate Qazi Nazir, Sardar Umar Gorgag, Advocate Sardar Tahir Hussian Hazara and Senator Mumtaz Hussian.

The names of the committee on internally-displaced people would be announced later.

Dr Awan said the PPP government stood for supremacy of parliament and the Constitution and there was no question of any retreat on these issues.

“We will not surrender and compromise on our struggle for the supremacy of law, Constitution and people’s rights.”

All rights of the people of Balochistan would be restored by the government, he said.

The PPP leader said the civil and military establishment did not learn any lesson from the dismemberment of the country in 1970 and it was still playing the old game. But times had changed and the government would now foil all such conspiracies with the help of the people.

Dr Awan said that army would soon be withdrawn from different areas and civilians would rule the country.

He said the nation had witnessed the consequences of the use of force in Fata and Balochistan, adding that all issues could not be solved by force.

He said PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had constituted the committees to resolve the Balochistan issue and his visit to Quetta was aimed at holding consultations with all relevant parties.

Dr Awan appealed to the people of Balochistan to support the government in its efforts to find an amicable and acceptable solution to the Balochistan crisis.

“We will hold talks with everybody to resolve the issue politically,” he said.

Earlier, Balochistan PPP president Haji Lashkari Raisani said his party was committed to addressing grievances of the people of Balochistan. He said the government would rehabilitate all displaced people and their problems would be solved.