Wednesday, March 23 2005 09:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: A delegation of Pakistan's ruling and Opposition parliamentarians yesterday (Mar 22, 2005) held talks with a rebel tribal leader in southwest Balochistan province in a bid to end a siege over 300 paramilitary troops, even as a local security commander warned that a "major crisis" could be brewing in the area.

Pakistan's Minister of State for Culture Muhammad Ali Durrani, who accompanied the team to rebel stronghold town of Dera Bugti to meet Nawab Akbar Bugti, said the talks went on for one and a half hours to discuss steps to solve the present stalemate and end the recurring violence in the province.

He said Bugti has given his point of view whereas the MPs have asked him questions on the current situation and how to move forward to end the crisis gripping the province.

Renegade tribesmen loyal to Bugti have taken over positions around the Dera Bugti town where over 300 personnel of paramilitary Frontier Corps are lodged at a military base.

Apparently no decision was arrived at on this after the Parliamentary Committee's visit, which Durrani described as a fact-finding mission.

The Committee also met security officials in the gas-rich Sui town in the same province which was the scene of major violence by tribesmen who demanded more autonomy as well as stoppage of construction of Army cantonments.

Reports from provincial capital Quetta said that Local Commander of Security forces in Sui, Brig Salim Nawaz told the media that a "major crisis" could be brewing in the area as thousands of armed tribesmen have surrounded the military base at Dera Bugti.