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| India-Pakistan |
| India condemns Bugti's killing |
| 2006-08-28 |
| In a remarkably strong statement, India has slammed Pakistan for the killing of iconic Baloch rebel Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti. In the statement released by the foreign office, New Delhi called the killing a tragic loss to the people of Balochistan and Pakistan. The description of Balochistan as a separate entity is bound to anger Islamabad. The statement goes on to say that military operations in Balochistan underline the need for a peaceful dialogue and that military force can never solve political problems. It further adds that Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti played a prominent role in Pakistani politics for over four decades and that his death leaves a vacuum that will be difficult to fill. The MEA statement comes at a time when relations between the two countries are already strained. India had accused Pakistan of having a hand in the Mumbai blasts and Pakistan has in the past accused India of backing the separatist violence in Balochistan. Meanwhile, the opposition in Pakistan has also joined in the protests against Bugti's killing and called for a one-day nationwide strike. However, President Pervez Musharraf has said army operations in the region will continue. Perhaps to stem the rising criticism, the Pakistani establishment is also now saying that Bugti was killed accidentally. "It was never our intention to harm him physically. What happened yesterday was something of not government's own doing. The land mines, which exploded, caused this explosion to bring down the cave. But certainly, it was not our intention to kill him," said Tariq Azim, Pakistan Deputy Information Minister. Balochistan has sparked off a new round of tension in the Indo-Pak relations. By saying military force cannot solve a political issue, New Delhi is using Pakistan's rhetoric on Kashmir to beat Islamabad. |
| Posted by:john |
| #11 Federal Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani said on Sunday that the body of former Balochistan governor and chief minister Nawab Akbar Bugti had not yet been taken out from the rubble of the bunker destroyed in the Saturday attack and that it would be buried in the presence of members of the bereaved family. The minister made these remarks at a press conference in response to a demand by Nawab BugtiÂ’s son, Talal Bugti, that his father and other slain relatives be buried in their ancestral graveyard in Dera Bugti. Mr Durrani said it was unclear whether Nawab BugtiÂ’s grandsons, Brahmadagh and Mirali, had also been killed in the raid which left seven security forces personnel, including three officers, dead. He said the issue was discussed in detail at a meeting of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao and Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain with President Gen Pervez Musharraf at the summer hill resort of Murree on Sunday. The minister evaded questions whether he was personally grieved by the killing of a seasoned politician like Nawab Bugti. He refused to respond to a query as to why recommendations of the parliamentary committee on Balochistan had not been implemented by the government. |
| Posted by: john 2006-08-28 21:49 |
| #10 From B Raman Two months ago, the Pakistan Army reached a ceasefire agreement with the remnants of the Al Qaeda and the Taliban in North Waziristan. Under this agreement, the jihadis and their local tribal supporters agreed to suspend their operations against the Pakistani security forces. In return, the latter agreed not to interfere with their raids into Afghanistan. This ceasefire agreement enabled the Pakistan Army to shift its forces, helicopters and communication equipment to Balochistan for operations against the leaders of the Baloch freedom struggle. |
| Posted by: john 2006-08-28 20:01 |
| #9 An interesting photo from 1940s - A young Nawab Bugti welcoming Mohammed Ali Jinnah Link to photo |
| Posted by: john 2006-08-28 18:55 |
| #8 it's still a lot less than India's had to put up with from terrorism in Kashmir. (According to Wikipedia, it's about 29,000 Indian civilians since 1988) This is from a 2003 interview with a former governor of Jammu and Kashmir state - Gary Saxena According to statistics that were made available to me, 13,600 people lost their lives in the last 14 years. Of these 10,000 were killed/massacred by terrorists in various incidents of violence. Rest 3,600 lost their lives in crossfire between the security forces and the terrorists. I am telling you these figures because each body was identified. I must tell you that the security forces lost 3,600 personnel and killed over 16,700 terrorists since 1989. Seventy per cent of these were foreigners. The Indian Army and paramilitary forces have seized over 25,000 Kalashnikovs, 325 sniper rifles, 1,000 machines guns, 1,800 rocket propelled grenade launchers, 4,000 rocket launchers, 10,000 land mines, 50,000 hand grenades, 30 tonnes of explosives, 7.5 tonnes of RDX, 10,000 revolver pistols and 4,000 wireless sets. This speaks about the kind of assistance terrorists groups have been getting from Inter Services Intelligence. |
| Posted by: john 2006-08-28 17:22 |
| #7 Thanks 'Ole Shaggy and John for the Bugti dissection. |
| Posted by: RD 2006-08-28 17:09 |
| #6 cosin = cousin. Assasinated by the IRA in 1979 |
| Posted by: john 2006-08-28 15:52 |
| #5 Aside from my enemy's enemy, did India have a dog in that fight? Let me put it this way... if we ascribe all blame to the 9/11 attacks to Pakistan's ISI, it's still a lot less than India's had to put up with from terrorism in Kashmir. (According to Wikipedia, it's about 29,000 Indian civilians since 1988). And although the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates says that "The Enemy of my Enemy is my Enemy's Enemy, no more, no less," you know, sometimes that's _enough_. |
| Posted by: Abdominal Snowman 2006-08-28 15:52 |
| #4 It is ironic that Pakistan does not recognize the Instrument of accession for Kashmir, which was signed freely and co-signed by Lord Mountbatten, cosin of the British Queen yet the Instrument of Accession for Kalat - a nice chunk of present Balochistan is quite dubious - the Khan of Kalat was forced to sign at gunpoint after Pakistan invaded and annexed the territory. |
| Posted by: john 2006-08-28 15:51 |
| #3 At the time of Partition, many Balochis were pro-India and would have chosen to join. This was not allowed according to the rules set by the Viceroy Lord Mountbatten (Territorial continuity). The covert Indian support to the Balochis - money and arms, via both Iran and Afghanistan, is simply payback - applying pressure at the fault lines to see what cracks. |
| Posted by: john 2006-08-28 15:46 |
| #2 Aside from my enemy's enemy, did India have a dog in that fight? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-08-28 15:42 |
| #1 Translation - look out Perv, India is gonna make Pakistan bleed... |
| Posted by: john 2006-08-28 15:40 |
