CPEC is for Punjab, Baloch will not benefit from it, says Nawab Brahumdagh Bugti

Baloch leader and the chief of Baloch Republican Party, Nawab Brahumdagh Bugti, has told a Pakistani news channel that the former favors negotiations for the peaceful resolution of the Balochistan issue from day one.

"Balochistan government is not able to lead negotiations as they hold no control over issues, army is controlling everything in Balochistan" he added.

"The Pakistani government expected us to refuse talks so that they could label us as terrorists, but our willingness has put the government in trouble"

Commenting on Pak-China Economic Corridor, Nawab Brahumdagh Bugti said that no Baloch politician was consulted on CPEC. He said that only the people of Balochistan had the right to decide whether something would be good for them or not.

He further said that the Baloch people had no say in the CPEC. He added that the economic corridor would only help Punjab and there will be no benefits for the Baloch people

Responding to a question, he said that there was no such problem in Balochistan that couldn't be resolved peacefully. He said that the Balochistan problem would be solved through talks, not guns. "We want a political solution of the Balochistan issue", he said.

He said his return to Pakistan was not a problem. "The problem is Balochistan. I have no interest in returning to Pakistan", he said.

Nawab Brahumdagh said that the government was befooling the people of Pakistan on the issue of the surrenders of militants. "As far as we know, nobody laid down any arms", he said. However, he added, the Balochistan issue must be resolved through talks."We never refused to talk to the government. We are ready for the talks any time. But I was contacted only once. They didn't contact me again," he said.