ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has said that the decision of the government to engage dissident Baloch leaders is commendable as it will strengthen the national unity and exclude those involved in India-sponsored sabotage.

Speaking during an interview with a private television channel on Saturday, the President said that he as well as Prime Minister Imran Khan has been calling for engaging with dissident Balochs since 2012, but not those being backed by India.

Dr Arif Alvi said that the India, by using Afghan soil has been promoting terrorism in Pakistan and exemplified the Kulbhushan Jadhav, recent bomb blast in Lahore and reports of RAW agents returning to India having failed to talk with Taliban.

He was of the view that Gwadar Port would change Balochistan economically and the resolution of Reko Diq case would bring in mineral wealth to change people’s lives there.

To a question, the President said despite repeated incidents of enriched uranium trade in India, the international community was keeping mum. Dr Arif Alvi said that by fanning Islamophobia, India is playing with fire and distorting its own history and destroying its peace.