ISLAMABAD: Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Malik claimed on Monday that the law and order situation in his province had improved and crime declined significantly in the first year of his tenure.

Addressing a press conference at Balochistan House, Mr Malik said incidents of car-lifting and kidnapping for ransom had decreased, adding that the issue of enforced disappearances would also be resolved with time.

He vowed to bring Baloch dissidents into the mainstream through talks, but admitted that that there had been no formal contact with them so far.

Answering a question on the possibility of a committee being constituted to hold talks with the Baloch dissidents, he said they did not want to constitute a committee that would “bring no result”.

The Balochistan chief minister, who belongs to the National Party (NP), said a commission had already been set up to investigate the Khuzdar mass grave.

Mr Malik expressed the hope that the Council of Common Interests would prove to be appropriate forum to settle the issue of Balochistan’s arrears.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2014