LAHORE / QUETTA: PML-N President Nawaz Sharif has called for a `political solution` to the issues in Balochistan, vowing to play a key political and democratic role in fostering peace in the restive province.

Mr Sharif made this statement during a meeting with former Balochistan chief minister and National Party President Dr Abdul Malik Baloch at his Jati Umra residence on Wednesday, a day after army chief Gen Asim Munir assured foreign investors that Pakistan would provide robust security to protect their interest amid heightened unrestin the mineral-rich province.

Mr Sharif and Dr Baloch discussed the overall political situation in the country, especially Balochistan. The former PM said he would play his political and democratic role in promoting peace in Balochistan. `I will soon visit Balochistan to meet the [angry] people there. The issue of Balochistan is political and must be resolved through political means,` Mr Sharif was quoted by Dr Baloch as saying.

He said Mr Sharif assured that he would personally take interest in the matters of Balochistan. `I told Mr Sharif that his role is crucial given the current situation in Balochistan. We held an in-depth discussion on the political affairs of the province. There is an ongo-ing sit-in in Balochistan, and many people are imprisoned. Nawaz Sharif should play his part in resolving these issues,` the former CM said, adding that the elder Sharif agreed to play his role.

Dr Baloch was referring to the Balochistan National PartyMengal (BNP-M) sit-in led by Sardar Akhtar Mengal against the arrest of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders and activists, including Dr Mahrang Baloch, and police crackdown on their sit-in in Quetta.

Talking to reporters after the meeting in Lahore, PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique said that Dr Baloch shared his views and requested that Nawaz Sharif play an active role in resolving the issues of Balochistan.

`Nawaz Sharif assured that he would play his political and democratic role in promoting peace in Balochistan. When Nawaz Sharif was prime minister and Abdul Malik Baloch was CM Balochistan that era witnessed development.

Unfortunately, democracy was disrupted that led to the current situation,` Mr Rafique said, adding that Mr Sharif had assured that he wouldpersonally take interest in resolving the Balochistan issues.

Senator Jan Muhammad Buledi, who attended the meeting, later issued a statement saying that various issues related to Balochistan, including the complex political and law and order situation, were discussed in detail. Dr Malik Baloch, who led the NP delegation, also raised concerns with Mr Sharif regarding the BNP-M`s ongoing protest sit-in in Mastung district, political instability, slow development progress, and thearrests of Mahrang Baloch and numerous other political activists.

`Major national and political issues were also discussed,` Mr Buledi said in the statement.

Dr Malik Baloch, who served as the chief minister while heading a coalition government with PML-N and other parties in Balochistan, presented various proposals to Nawaz Sharif regarding the resolution of issues.

He also briefed Mr Sharif on the deadlock in negotiations between the government and BNP-M concerning the protest long march and sit-in demanding the release of Mahrang Baloch and other detained political workers in Balochistan.

Mr Baloch requested that the PML-N chief play a key role in finding a solution to Balochistan`s problems.

According to the statement issued by Senator Buledi, Mr Sharif would consult with the prime minister and other relevant authorities to take appropriate action.

Both leaders expressed concern overBalochistan`s unresolved issues and emphasised the need for urgent resolution. The meeting also addressed Balochistan`s administrative and developmental challenges, including youth issues, student scholarships, the legal recognition of border trade, the promotion of fisheries, and a ban on illegal hunting.

Directives were given to the planning and development minister to remove obstacles hindering road infrastructure projects in the province and to expedite their implementation.

Additionally, the ongoing loadshedding, Qesco`s irresponsible behaviour, failure to repair transformers and the need to ensure an uninterrupted power supply from Iran were also discussed.

Negotiation deadlock persists Meanwhile, the deadlock continues in negotiations between the government and the BNP-M leadership, whose protest sitin has been ongoing for the last 12 days in response to the arrest ofDr Mahrang Baloch and other political activists in the Lakpass area.

BNP President Akhtar Mengal has refused to engage with any government delegations to call off the sit-in unless Mahrang Baloch and the other female activists arrested by the police are released. He rejected government proposals to endthe protest and provide an alternative location in Quetta for the demonstration.

No new delegation from the government side has visited the BNP-M sit-in camp for the last two days. Former Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani was the last to have a oneon-one meeting with Sardar Mengal.However, Mr Mengal clarified that the meeting was held in Mr Sanjrani`s personal capacity and did not involve discussions about the sit-in issue.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti met former CM Nawab Aslam Raisani in Karachi. According to officials, the two leaders discussed the prevailingsituation and matters of mutual interest.

PML-N reorganisation Prime minister`s adviser and PML-N Punjab president Rana Sanaullah met Nawaz Sharif and received instructions from the party head to launch a mass public campaign aimed at strengthening and reorganising the party.

`Once Nawaz Sharif begins visiting other provinces, public rallies will also be held there,` Mr Sanaullah said. He also called for an end to baseless political cases.

`Political parties should sit together and resolve issues through dialogue. We expressed the same sentiment in 2018,2019, and 2020, and we continue to say this today. However, everyone knows who is unwilling to come to the table for talks,` he said, referring to PTI founder Imran Khan.

`Imran Khan was willing to engage with the establishment, but negotiations with the establishment alone will not solve the problem. If the PTI founder is ready to talk to political parties, then a solution can be reached.