Murtaza Ali Shah
LONDON: The UK-based self-exiled Khan of Kalat has categorically refused to become part of the democratic government’s efforts to address the security related and economic problems of Balochistan.
Mir Suleiman Daud Baloch, who is awaiting a decision on his asylum application, plans to move the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the status of Kalat, which became part of Pakistan under an agreement signed on March 27, 1948 between Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the then Khan of Kalat Mir Ahmad Yar Khan.
A news item in this newspaper three days ago said it was a positive sign that the Khan of Kalat has not yet moved the ICJ over the accusation that Pakistan has not fulfilled the promises it made at the time of signing the treaty but the real reason behind the delay is Khan of Kalat's inability to travel outside of Britain while the British government considers his appeal against permanent stay.
Immigrations experts believe that the 35th Khan of Kalat, who has been seeking asylum since July 2007, will ultimately be granted asylum because of his profile and the on-going unrest in the restive province. It has become almost a standard procedure in the UK to refuse the asylum claims in the first phase no matter how serious the case but appeals with serious grounds of fear of persecution are ultimately allowed and Khan of Kalat's case falls in this bracket, an immigration expert told this correspondent.
Speaking to the News, the Khan of Kalat said he was not interested in the governments’ offers and said he was determined to move the international forums to seek attention towards the problems of Balochistan.
I don’t need any offers from the present government. I came out of Pakistan on my own free will and will return when I want.
My return to Pakistan and becoming part of the so-called dialogue process in not the solution to problems my people are facing.
My people have given me a mandate and a duty to take their case to the ICJ and I am determined to stand by my people, Khan of Kalat said in reference to a September 2006 grand Baloch jirga, convened after about 126 years, which recommended that a case should be in the ICJ against what it termed violation of agreements signed by the State of Kalat, the Crown of Britain and the government of Pakistan pertaining to sovereignty and rights of the Baloch people.
The Khan of Kalat said that President Asif Ali Zardari had phoned him six month ago to return to Pakistan for negotiations but he told the president blankly that the approaches he was taking to address the Baloch issue were ineffective.
I told President Zardari that Baluchistan’s issue cannot be solved through all parties’ conferences, increasing the budgets, and making more hollow promises.
I told the president that he may be well-meaning but he was powerless to do anything on ground. The real power, he knows, lies elsewhere. If Zardari was powerful and independent in taking decisions, why would he go to the United Nations to seek justice for his wife Benazir Bhutto’s murder?
Refusing to be part of any efforts to settle the Baloch issue, the Khan of Kalat, who lives with his family in Cardiff, lay down only one condition to become part of the talks. The talks have to be mediated by the United States of America, the United Kingdom and other European countries.
Accept that and we can talk further. There is no point for us anymore to get engaged with the powerless people. That option is off the table now. Sixty years of broken promises has broken my faith completely in the sincerity of Islamabad.
Answering a question, His Highness, as it states on his passport, said that Governor Zulfikar Magsi has said it on record that he is powerless and cannot promise any change to the status quo. |
