QUETTA: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday his government was considering talks with separatists in the southwestern Balochistan province, saying any “true leader” would treat the impoverished region as a priority.

Baluchistan is home to Gwadar, where China has funded the development of a deep-water port as part of the $62 billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) of energy and infrastructure projects. The province borders Afghanistan and Iran and is Pakistan’s poorest region, though it is rich in mineral and natural gas reserves.

Separatists in Balochistan have for decades campaigned against the central government over what they see as the unfair exploitation of the province’s resources.

In recent years, Pakistan has accused neighboring India and Afghanistan of funding as well as providing moral support to Baloch separatists. Both nations deny the charge. 

“Unfortunately, the center and the political leadership of Balochistan made mistakes in addressing the grievances of the people of Balochistan because if a true leader in the country would think of Pakistan, he must consider Balochistan as his priority,” Khan said in an address to tribal elders and students during a daylong trip to Gwadar. “I am thinking we should talk to them [insurgents]. It is possible that they have old grievances, and they were used by other countries, that India used them to spread chaos.” 

“I had always thought that when the PTI [Khan’s ruling party] came to power, we would pay keen attention toward Balochistan because when the province progresses and there is peace, the people of Balochistan would realize that the country is theirs as well and Pakistan considers them as an integral part,” the PM added. 

He said insurgencies would not have risen if previous regimes in Pakistan had paid attention to the issues of Balochistan and focused on uplifting the impoverished province.

“Despite the economic woes in the country, the current federal government has granted a huge development package to Balochistan, which would be helpful in revamping the sense of deprivation among the downtrodden masses of this province,” Khan said.