Balochistan issues: President advises Gilani to convene PPP meeting

President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday advised Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to convene a meeting of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) on the issue of Balochistan to firm up recommendations for resolving the outstanding issues of the province.
This was stated by president's spokesman Farhatullah Babar after the President, Prime Minister meeting. He said that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani in his capacity of vice chairman PPP would convene the meeting. The party meeting will serve as a prelude to the All Parties Conference (APC) on the issues of Balochistan to be convened by the Prime Minister at a later date, the spokesperson said.
Talking to the Prime Minister, the President said that Balochistan issue could no longer be ignored and it was essential that a broad-based national consensus was hammered out for healing the wounds of Balochistan people. President Asif Ali Zardari said that he had also advised the provincial assembly of the province to adopt unanimous resolutions and forward the same to the national Parliament which in turn would endorse it to create a broad-based political ownership for whatever measures were to be taken.
The President said that consensus and political ownership were most essential and with view he advised the Prime Minister to hold a PPP meeting prior to the APC, the spokesperson said. According the spokesman, the President and the Prime Minister discussed the current political situation in the country, measures taken for the relief and rehabilitation of the internally displaced peoples (IDPs)
The President hoped that in addition to the displaced persons lodged in camps the government would take appropriate measures to look after the IDPs living with their relatives and friends outside the camps. The President discussed the outcome of his recent visit to Iran and said that it will give great impetus to Pak-Iran relations. The Prime Minister felicitated the President on the conclusion of a framework agreement for the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline and said that with the launch of the project a giant step would be taken for the energy security of the country.