India responsible for Balochistan, Waziristan unrest: Shahbaz

QUETTA Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has said that India is playing an active role in destabilising Pakistan by its direct involvement in Balochistan and Waziristan affairs.
He expressed these views while addressing a Press conference along with Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Muhammad Aslam Raisani during his brief visit to Quetta here on Wednesday.
PML-N central leader Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, PPP Provincial Minister Sadiq Umrani and other officials were also present on the occasion.
He said that PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif had outrightly declared that PML-N wanted a peaceful solution to Balochistan problem and stressed that all stakeholders in this regard should be taken on board.
'Concrete steps are needed to address the grievances of Balochistan and all other provinces should play their due role in this regard, he added.
Replying to a question regarding involvement of India in deteriorating the law and order situation in Balochistan, he said that India was directly involved not only in Balochistan but also in Waziristan.
'Under a conspiracy India is creating misperceptions about Pakistan and misleading the world through baseless propaganda, he added.
He said that Pakistan had always tried to maintain good relations with his neighbouring countries including India but India always got involved in destabilising Pakistan.
He said that India always blamed Pakistan for terrorism but it had failed to provide evidences in this regard. 'Let us live like a good neighbours and concentrate on the issues like poverty and welfare of our people, he suggested to India.
To a query, Shahbaz said that PML-N had a clear stance about Kerry-Lugar Bill. 'Even John Kerry during his visit to Pakistan had admitted that PML-N had serious reservations over the bill, he said, adding, that PML-N had also condemned the drone attacks in Tribal Areas of the country.
The Punjab CM said that although US was a superpower, Pakistan should maintain good relations with it and other countries on equality basis. PML-N is endeavouring to have Pakistan recognised in the world as prestigious country and for this we have to overcome our weakness, he said.
Answering another question, Shahbaz said that military dictators had always harmed the country after trampling down the Constitution and derailing democracy. He said that in other democratic countries Army was subordinate to political governments, but in Pakistan, Army had interfered in political process repeatedly that had pushed the country towards poverty, unemployment, disharmony and mistrust among provinces.
'We consider Army an important institution for the security of the country and our Army has a significant role in foiling threats and conspiracies against security of the country, he declared.
He said that Punjab government was constructing Balochistan Institute of Cardiology in Quetta which was a small gift for Balochistan and its people from the 90 million people of Punjab.
He said that institute project comprising 100 beds would be completed within two years at a cost of Rs 2 billion.
He said that the hospital would be constructed by a German company and be equipped with all modern equipments and facilities. He said that the hospital would be run by German doctors for a period of five years and Baloch doctors would be trained during the while.
'This is a sincere gift for the people of Balochistan without any political design but it will help in healing the wounds of Baloch people, he added.
Chief Minister Punjab said that Balochistan and Punjab governments had inked an agreement in which Punjab government would purchase 2400 tons of coal per day from Balochistan for power generating plants at Dera Ghazi Khan and other parts of Punjab.
He said that the project would help in mitigating the miseries of the people caused by power shortage in Punjab and other parts of the country besides having a positive impact on industries and agriculture sectors generating huge foreign exchange.
He said that Punjab government was also creating more and more educational opportunities for the students of Balochistan and thus quota of Balochistan in professional institutions had been enhanced from 160 to 250.
He said that Punjab government would also grant Rs 30 million for Balochistan University endowment fund which was aimed at healing the wounds of Balochistan and pacify their people for the injustice done by former rulers.
Earlier, Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif met with the members of Balochistan Cabinet.
After the meeting Shahbaz Sharif and Aslam Raisani were briefed about the Institute of Cardiology. They also laid the foundation stone of Balochistan Institute of Cardiology in Quetta.
Talking to newsmen on the occasion, Mian Shahbaz Sharif said that the democratic government would have to take such initiatives that might heal the wounds left by dictatorship.
He said PML-N Balochistan had been neglected during the period of dictatorship and we would have to pay due attention to the party. He said that PML-N believed that resources of the provinces should be distributed in accordance with their genuine demands, without which a sense of deprivation would be developed among them.
Shahbaz also addressed party members and workers at Khoja House. He said that people of Balochistan had joined Pakistan wholeheartedly on the eve its creation and the people of Balochistan had been neglected for the last 63 years owing to Army dictators.
He said that the four army dictators had created numerous problems in the country and had not let the country make progress according to the dream of father of the nation Quaid-i-Azam and national poet Allama Iqbal.
He said that people had also complaints from political governments and leader but these governments had not been able to complete their tenure.
He said that although presently country was in critical situation, yet we should have to move forward that could be possible when the rights of all provinces were given. 'I have come here as a brother and Pakistani, he said, adding, the people of Balochistan should have patience.
He said that if Nawaz Sharif came to power he would steer Balochistan out of all crisis. Earlier, PML-N central leader Sardar Yaqoob Khan while addressing the party workers said that it was encouraging on the part of Punjab government for taking up Balochistan issue seriously. He said that Punjab was the largest province of Pakistan and the people of Balochistan attached great expectations from it. On the occasion, hundreds of people announced their decision to join PML-N. Tight security arrangements were made during the visit of Chief Minister Punjab.