Nervous Pakistan talks to Baloch separatists after India speaks of atrocities on Balochistan

Days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the atrocities being carried out on the people of Balochistan and Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the political and military leaderships has invited self-exiled Baloch leaders to come to the negotiating table while stating that dialogue is the only way to find a solution to all issues.

Extending the talks offer, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri and Commander of Southern Command Lieutenant General Aamir Riaz said that they would welcome Baloch leaders' return to the country, reports the Dawn. The remarks were extended at the national flag-hoisting ceremony at the Quaid-i-Azam Residency in Ziarat on the occasion of the 70th Independence Day celebrations on Sunday. Zehri also invited the self-exiled Baloch leaders to come back to Pakistan.

"It will be their choice to join national politics or do politics on a nationalist basis? We will honour it if the people of Balochistan give you the mandate," the Dawn quoted him as saying

He also made it clear that it would not be possible for the government to accept such leaders' ideology at gunpoint. "We will not allow anybody to impose his ideology by force. We have been the custodians of Balochistan for the last 500 years and became part of Pakistan at our own will," he added.

Rejecting the statement of Indian Prime Minister Modi, Zehri said that there was a big difference between situation of Kashmir and Balochistan.

He was of the opinion the Kashmir wants freedom from India, while the people love Pakistan in Balochistan and they want to live within the jurisdiction and framework of the country. "You cannot describe it as freedom struggle if a few misguided youth wage militancy and get involved in anti-peace activities in Balochistan," he added.

The Indian Prime Minister had earlier last week said, "The time has come to expose Pakistan's brutalities on the people of Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Launching a fresh offensive against Islamabad for igniting the latest unrest in Kashmir, he said: "When we talk about Jammu and Kashmir, then we should talk about four regions - Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Meanwhile, Zehri also launched a veiled attack on India, saying, "A handful of miscreants playing into the hands of Indian intelligence agency have been involved in anti-peace activities in Balochistan."

Lieutenant -General Aamir Riaz on his part said that enemies could not defeat ideology of Islamabad as the countrymen were united and the entire nation supported its political and military leadership to foil nefarious designs of the enemy.