Less than a week before he bows out, Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Saturday held telephonic discussion with leading nationalist leaders over the Balochistan situation.
Sources privy to the Prime Minister told Business Recorder here that he held talks with former Balochistan governor Nawab Akbar Bugti, former provincial chief minister Attaullah Khan Mengal and Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali.
They agreed that a sustained dialogue was the only possible and viable option to normalise situation in Balochistan, sources added.
Chaudhry Shujaat apprised the leaders of Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), Balochistan Nationalist Party (BNP) and Awami National Party (ANP) of his government's policy vis-à-vis the province, sources maintained.
The nationalist leaders informed the premier about their concerns regarding the 'use of force and establishment of cantonments in different parts of Balochistan'.
They pointed out that the government must ponder over the fact that why Balochistan, blessed with rich natural resources, had been kept most backward and who was responsible for this attitude by the centre, sources said.
Sources quoted the nationalist leaders as telling the Prime Minister that they would not allow use of the provincial resources at the cost of peoples' deprivations.
To a question, these sources said that before quitting as Prime Minister, it was quite possible that Chaudhry Shujaat might visit Balochistan and hold direct talks with the genuine nationalists' leadership.
Another option under consideration was that a committee, comprising senior ruling PML leaders and one of the top aides of President General Pervez Musharraf should go to the province to defuse the prevailing tension.
ANP spokesman and information secretary Mohammad Zahid Khan confirmed that telephonic talk with his president Asfandyar Wali was held.
However, he gave no further details in this regard.
He maintained that the ANP and the nationalist leaders always pleaded for dialogue to resolve issues, as the country cannot afford the possible repercussions of the use of force.