Islamabad, Aug. 13 (ANI): Pakistan's Defence Minister, Syed Naveed Qamar, who heads the special cabinet committee on Balochistan, has said that a 'handful' of armed insurgents do not represent the entire province.

Our committee is approaching all other stakeholders, including nationalist leaders, to find an amicable solution to the festering issue, The Express Tribune quoted Qamar, as saying.

We believe in dialogue. We do not mind visiting all those political and nationalist leaders - the genuine representatives of Balochistan - who did not show up today. Though the Balochistan issue is complex, we are not hopeless, he added.

We are aware of the injustices committed to Balochistan in the past. And, we are here to identify the areas where we can work to heal the wounds with our sincere efforts to the province that belongs to Pakistan, he said.

Qamar conceded that little had been done in the past for the people of Balochistan, but added that the PPP-led government was determined to win the hearts and minds of the disillusioned Baloch people.

Other members of the committee, including Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Law Minister Farooq H Naek, and Postal Services Minister Umer Gorgaij were also present at the meeting.

Two mainstream Baloch nationalist parties boycotted the meeting, claiming that such bodies were usually toothless. (ANI)