PESHAWAR: Mr Abdul Wali Khan, President of the National Awami Party, today [Feb 9] expressed his concern over the dispatch of troops to Baluchistan in spite of what he called opposition of the provincial Governor to such a step. In a Press statement issued here, Mr Wali Khan said that the Baluchistan Governor had told the Federal Government that the situation in the province was under control and that the Army was not at all required there.

In spite of the Governor’s “strong opposition” to sending Army into Baluchistan, the Federal Government did so and “today Army has come into action. …” He said this was “clear interference in the internal affairs” and a joke with provincial autonomy.

Such interference … would create hurdles in the way of framing a permanent Constitution … and cause a change in the attitude of the smaller provinces. He said … the smaller provinces would be justified in strongly demanding constitutional guarantees or “complete provincial autonomy”. The NAP chief said that at this critical juncture the … nation required an atmosphere of confidence. But he wondered about the “forces persuading the Central Government to take actions which could endanger the country’s solidarity”. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2023