QUETTA, Sept 10: President General Pervez Musharraf said on Friday that negotiations with elders were in progress and promised more efforts to find a political solution of the Balochistan problem.

Addressing a press conference on his arrival here on a two-day visit, the president said that Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani had already met representatives of different groups.

"I am hopeful about the resolution of all problems. However, there will be no negotiations with those elements who are against the integrity of Pakistan and such elements will be crushed. We will also not make any dealing with anti-development elements," he declared.

The president also talked about the India-Pakistan dialogue, the sixth National Finance Commission award, provincial autonomy and terrorism. He said he was ready to talk to any individual or group on any issue pertaining to Balochistan's development and problems.

"I have no ego problem. I am ready to meet and talk to anyone. I can invite them on lunch. They should come and explain their point of view," he said, adding the governor and the chief minister wanted to hold a conference on this issue.

The president, however, said that he did not understand why certain elements were opposing mega-projects undertaken in the province. "I am still not aware what they want and what is their complaint," he said, adding that the government was paying attention to the development of Balochistan with the intention of removing the sense of deprivation among people.

He said the government had increased development funds for Balochistan from 3 per cent to 7 per cent and added that work on Gwadar Port, Mirani Dam, Kachhi Canal, Coastal Highway, Subakzai Dam, Greater Quetta Water Scheme, Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan Road and many other projects launched by the federal government was in progress.

The president said that with the construction of the road network Balochistan's agriculture products would reach the markets of Punjab. He pointed out that a country-wide watercourse lining project had also been launched at a cost of Rs66 billion which, he said, would also help increase agriculture production in the province.

However, he regretted, some elements were against this process of development. He said there was a tussle going on between anti-development and pro-development elements.

He said that Rs32 million were allocated by the provincial government for establishing a village for the fishing community and added that a piece of land measuring 100 acres had already been provided for the purpose.

As far as jobs were concerned, he said, local people would be preferred while second preference would be given to those coming from other areas of Balochistan. In case of non-availability of eligible people in Gwadar or Balochistan, then candidates from other parts of the country would be called and if such people were not even found in the country then they would be brought from abroad.

Expressing satisfaction over the ongoing composite dialogue with India, he said Pakistan wanted that progress should also be made on resolving the core issue of Kashmir along with confidence-building measures and talks in other areas.

Gen Musharraf said he would meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to the United Station on the eve of the UN General Assembly session. In reply to a question, the president said he believed in maximum autonomy for provinces.

The centre should transfer maximum powers to provinces and provinces should devolve these powers to district and local governments. "Centre should kept minimum share and distribute more shares among the provinces."

He said he wanted to resolve the NFC issue in 2002 but left it to be decided by the political government and added that the NFC award could not be announced because provinces did not reach a consensus.

He said the centre wanted to give more than 48 per cent to provinces from the divisible pool but the main problem was horizontal distribution among the provinces which would be resolved among the provinces.

He expressed the hope that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz would resolve the NFC award issue. In reply to a question about the gas royalty, he said Balochistan had so far received Rs70 billion on this account but the amount had not been spent properly on the development of the province.

He assured that the constitutional share of Balochistan in federal services, including armed forces, would be ensured. He, however, stressed the need for improving the standard of education in the province.

Answering a question, the president said he was going to the United States to address the General Assembly and added that he would exploit the opportunity to improve the image of Pakistan in the West.

He said frontiers were safe and Pakistan was not facing any foreign danger. "Pakistan's frontiers are 400 per cent safe. We are not facing any foreign danger or want of weapons," Gen Musharraf said, adding if there were any shortage of weapons it would be removed.

However, he pointed out, Pakistan was facing internal danger of religious extremism and terrorism. Islam had nothing to do with extremism and terrorism in the name of religion, he said.

He said there were three kinds of people involved in terrorist acts: first one was executor, who executed a plan. Second was planner who prepared a plan and found executors while third one was the mastermind, who were foreigners. He said these people came to Pakistan and were living in mountains, cities and other parts of the country.

The president said the government was targeting masterminds. He said planners recruited religious extremists for executing their plans and such people were being provided by different groups. The government, he said, had banned 40 such outfits.