ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to withdraw cases against Baloch leaders living in exile, the interior minister said on Thursday.

The decision meant that cases against Brahamdagh Bugti, Harbayar Marri and other Baloch leaders living abroad would be quashed in line with the government’s policy of reconciliation, Rehman Malik told reporters after chairing a meeting on the Aghaz-i-Haqooq-i-Balochistan package.

Brahamdagh Bugti, a grandson of Nawab Akbar Bugti, is the founder of Baloch Republican Party while Harbayar Marri, a son of Khair Bakhsh Marri, is a leader of Balochistan Liberation Army.

Rehman Malik called upon Baloch leaders to return home and take part in political activities, saying that “I will receive them in person”.

The interior minister said he had met Harbayar Marri in London, but did not say when the meeting took place and what was the outcome.

Harbayar Marri, however, told a private TV channel that the meeting took place in 2008, but they did not discuss the Balochistan issue. He said he did not consider Mr Malik a trustworthy person.

Rehman Malik did not elaborate on the nature of cases to be withdrawn while a number of Baloch leaders expressed ignorance about the government’s offer.

Brahamdagh Bugti faces charges of carrying out anti-Pakistan activities from Afghanistan with the supportof India.

About the demand of Baloch leaders for action against former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf for the assassination of Akbar Bugti, Mr Malik said it would be done only if the Balochistan government wrote to him.

He urged the Baloch and national leadership to attend the proposed all-party conference on Balochistan.

He said the solution to Balochistan’s problems was political and the PPP-led government was committed to addressing the issue through political means.

INCENTIVES: The meeting decided that the federal government will release Rs4 billion to the Water and Power Development Authority on account of its share of subsidy for farmers of Balochistan.

A total of 15,000 graduates and post-graduates from the province will be given jobs under the prime minister’s Internship Programme.

They will work as schoolteachers and get a stipend of Rs15,000 per month.

About 2,400 federal government jobs will be filled on merit with the assistance of members of the National Assembly and Senate from Balochistan.

The meeting decided to award one-step promotion to any officer coming to Islamabad from the province on deputation.

It also decided to double the number of beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme to 750,000.

The strength of Federal Levies Force will be raised from 3,500 to 6,500 through fresh recruitment.

The meeting decided to increase the number of brilliant students from Balochistan to 500 from 150 for providing free education to them with effect from the next academic year and to create an endowment fund of Rs5 billion to sustain the programme.

The Capital Development Authority will allot plots to the Balochistan government for construction of two hostels for students and officers in Islamabad.

The Frontier Corps will not be move in any district without the permission of the deputy commissioner and will not set up any check-post without the approval of the chief minister.

The FC and Coast Guards will exercise powers under the Custom Act and keep their movement restricted to within 10km of the international border.

The PTV will air documentaries on implementation of Aghaz-i-Haqooq-i-Balochistan regularly in order to raise awareness about the government’s efforts to address Balochistan’s grievances.