dont beg UN or foriegners solve problems by talk.
iqbal said
agar to juk gaya ghai ka samna
na tera tun na tera mun
Shame on bugti for this situation may he burn in hell
Shame on govt for killing some innocent

such operations will haunt Pakistan in future

Obviously you cannot do it yourself (even such basic thing)! Thanks for acknowledgin you need help.

look guys ... there are some Indian who help terrorist but 99.99% don't help them... but there are 79% ppl help terrorist in ur country , including your government. we don't belive in war. why would we fight with u guys. we dont want ur paki .. keep it .. we gave u as gift remember?, every time u think of war and then v have to replay u guys .. we are not loser as u guys ...

I am sure you are a typical muslim bastard..

Hey listen u F face... Nowhere in India's history there is an xample of State sponsored terrorism, which is blatantly the case in Balochistan. R u out of ur mind? Terrorism can't b "sponsored" if it is fought with tanks and artillery. Not happy with bombing innocent Indians, u guys r at it even with ur ppl....
So stick it up ur aaasss... And try 2 make sumthing of ur God damn failed nation

how u can say sardars r criminal? u mother fucker.im sure u r not in the list of human u son of bitch

What the fuck is going on its not fuck'n fair pakistani government is criminal they are not less than zoinest human killer they are bunch of thefs and controling our lands,natural resources and killing our poor innocence people why until when its will go on i'll say again and again fuck perves musharaf and pakistani dirty government fuck them

Pakistan Army has to be cut down to size for a safer world. The state of Pakistan in itself is not a very legitimate organization. The fact that they have nuclear weapons does not augur well for the world's future. The Pakistan Army is anti-Baluch, anti-Sindhi and anti-Mohajir. They are also anti-US, anti-Israel, anti-India. They are a damn corrupt. They the worst proliferators of weapons of mass destruction. Let's save the world and cut down the Pakistan Army. To think they will play a role against terrorists is a cruel joke with humanity.

Pakistan Army has to be cut down to size for a safer world. The state of Pakistan in itself is not a very legitimate organization. The fact that they have nuclear weapons does not augur well for the world's future. The Pakistan Army is anti-Baluch, anti-Sindhi and anti-Mohajir. They are also anti-US, anti-Israel, anti-India. They are damn corrupt. They are the worst proliferators of weapons of mass destruction. Let's save the world and cut down the Pakistan Army. To think they will play a role against terrorists is a cruel joke with humanity.

The emergence of Pakistan on the map of the this world is a spot on the face of this civilized world. As long as Pakistan ia alive, there will be no peace persist in the south Asian region. Pakistan will continiue her illegitmate adventurism and nefarious design to destabilize the governments in the region. Pakistan will literally produce more fundamentalists in order to creat distrbances for India and Afghanistan as well. The Balochs are being sufferred since the unfortunate emergence of this illigitimate country and also the creation of this country became a curse for Afghanistan and India. I strongly believe that the extiniction of this useless country will be in the interest of the world in general and south asian region in particular.

plz,india play an influential rule to make free balocistan.u should help field of training and carrying the grave issue to world bodies like UN & INCoJ. as pak. is supporting kashmir fake issue.

fuck u with your sick mentallaty you ar sick

pakistan is a failed state.its a keep of usa.sposorer of terrorism worldwide.next US target is pakistan itself.whenever pak army has committed atrocities against its people pak lost its teritory.CAUTION.dont kill innocent balochis

Pakistani authorities like any other killer of the world will have to pay back for each drop of the blood of innocents Baloch.

These pictures are grim reminder of how Pakistani Army conducted their military operation in Bangladesh in 1970 and 1971. The atrocites committed on innocent Marris should be condemned and and world community must raise its voice to stop further violence in Balochistan. World community must bring its act together and stop further massacre of Baloch in province of Balochistan. Army junta in Pakistan must be tried for crimes against humnanity.

My God what is this... I did not realise the extent of Pakistani Army atrocities in Baloch areas. And at this time they are also using fighter planes. Is is why the Punjabis are insisting so much on F-16? To fight India or to kill baloch? Now they are doing the same thing in another way to Sind by putting dam Klabagh and taking their water. Enough is enough. The time is coming to fight against Punjab..

Dear SYM,
If tribalism is the problem where sardar is misguiding the masses then also this is not the solution. Killing is not the solution in a way which seems fully armed warfare between two states.

have any syteps Government has taken to talk and solve problems of education etc. or it is only madrasas which makes jehad feeds. then face it a type of jehad feed is turning against you.

First accept Islam has a problem of not being able to differentiate in spirituality and politics in its religion.

then accept that modern statecraft is not either you are with us or aagainst us.

lastly minorities may be wrong but are to be included not cleaned.

lastly but formostly wether islam or any other religion remains on earth or not that is not important .rather imortant is wether sprituality and human principles of shared digniied living on planet will be there as guideing principle.

in any case guns cant solve the problem as is clear from vietnam , srilanka and others. treat your citizens as equal .

it is not terrrist which you are fighting it is your citizens. and certainly they are not made by any other government other than yours. as you have done in kasmere and afganistan.

be careful whenever justifing such killings . you are talking about human lives not theories.

SS & SYM
from ur comment it is clearly understood that there is no any value of human life for u. i will clearly state that people like u always belive in Jehad. so obviously u will support such kind of brutal activities without knowing consequences. when u fight in kashmir u say that it is freedom struggle, but when it comes to u by the balochi's (for there self determination)it is a crime. i should strongly argue that govt. of india should support baloch (educationally, financially, morally as well as military) at this juncture. The Indian govt should mobilise International community for the benifit of our baloch brothers and sisters and may god give them strenghth and patience forever. truth will remain always as a truth, and bloody fucker like u never believe in truth but can always believe in bloody jehad.
Fucking u forever........

what is happening in balochistan is not a good thing to do pakistan why cant u shut the fuck up dont even going to take over balochistan this is our country noone can take it from us

SS & SYM
from ur comment it is clearly understood that there is no any value of human life for u. i will clearly state that people like u always belive in Jehad. so obviously u will support such kind of brutal activities without knowing consequences. when u fight in kashmir u say that it is freedom struggle, but when it comes to u by the balochi's (for there self determination)it is a crime. i should strongly argue that govt. of india should support baloch (educationally, financially, morally as well as military) at this juncture. The Indian govt should mobilise International community for the benifit of our baloch brothers and sisters and may god give them strenghth and patience forever. truth will remain always as a truth, and bloody fucker like u never believe in truth but can always believe in bloody jehad.
Fucking u forever........

Hi SS Moron,

Look at the photos carefully. Are the people in those photos look like gangsters? If so you are a blind moron

I think that India should intervene and stop this brutal and shameless act against humanity. On the wiser side, why does not India take advantage of this situation. India should use the same cards that Pakistan uses against it. We should support the FREEDOM struggle of the Baloch brothers. Wake up India, send your army, your spies, create your own jihadis against Pakistan and send them in Pakistan. Use bastard Pakistan's weopon against itself.

Lanat hai tum per, shame you want enemy to help you. Shame on you why dont you go to india we dont need u

"Balouchistan banega azad quam, La ilaha illah Allah"

Pakistani Soldiers + American Money = Baloch death

The ancient nation of Balochistan must break the shackles and throw out the Pakistani / Chinese / American aggressors. I request all peace-loving people of the world to contribute in terms of time & money for a prosperous Balochistan.

India has its own backward areas. The people of these areas are misused by the local bigwigs. But governments shouldn't be killing their own people. Then why be governed by that govenment?? Hope pakisthan government pays for taking balchi's lives like this.

No matter who did this against armless innocent people, they should be accounted for this. And we call Pakistan a muslim country made for Muslims?? Shame on us and our government, Islam doesn't allow this not even in War.
May Allah accept our prayers and forgive the deceased and give strenght and patience to survivors.

Who told you that our proffet did not preached this? We have always done this in every war. Even to our own muslim brothers in bangladesh(now.) You are not muslim if you disagree.
BTW what do you want these deceased to be forgiven for? what was their crime? Where did you learn that? So why did you forget the first part. destroy them and then pray for their forgivness... thats how we should work.

If Baloch leaders are a bunch of thugs, Pakistani army is a bigger bunch of thugs. By the grace of GOD, hopefully Balochistan will throw away the shackles of Punjabi slavery. They loot our minerals and all its money goes to Punjab. WE WANT FREEDOM. No one will help us Baloch brothers and sisters, we have to help ourselves

To SS,

Hi you Moron please take at a look at those photos. Are the people in those photos still looks like gangsters? If so you are a blind moron

Saddam Hussain committs heinuous crimes against the Kurds, his own people.

America goes to war.

Pervez Musharraf is committing heinuous crimes against the Baloch and Sindhi people, his fellow countrymen. In addition, crimes are committed against Kashmiri and other Indian people.

What does America do?
Go to sleep.

P.S. I think the Americans dont know that Balochistan is oil rich.

What else can be expected from Pakis

It is a shame for whole mankind that this kind of cruelty happens. Balochi people should bve given protection similar to what Kurds were given during Saddam Hussain's time.

ooh my GOD! These pictures r very much disturbing! I support non-violence but now onwards I want those pakistanis should be punished severly, so that they wont and wont able to do this type of crimes again! For that there is one solution for all the problems in this world- lets nuke the pakistan(only paki-punjab) and rest of the world live happily ever after!! Nuke a state is not a Good thing but if one part of the body gets affected by cancer and there is no cure then u have to cut that part or apply some radiations to get rid of that!! Its the best solution for peace and Humanity!!

It is a big shame for the International community ,which is turning a blind eye to this.Especially the
US ,which claims Pak is a key ally.

India has put forward statement condemning this.The International community must take up this issue as early as possible.

hi, its very bad to see thistype of picture in a civilised era.its bad and bad.land of bloochistan belong to blooch and they should be the owner of their own resorces.

Disgraceful. Shame to be a Pakistani. I don't understand why they just go in with guns and gain control, like the Indians. Indians don't use their fighter planes. They use Intelligence. Man What a shame!! I feel ashamed to be a Pakistani today. Peace and blessings to the Baloch community. Musharraf should really bring the people to the table and talk things out instead of committing crimes like this.

Email all your local MP's. Contact them. That is the best thing you can do. Try and get it on the newspapers. This is a disgrace to humanity.

Support and email all UN representatives and local MP's, congress!

Dear Mr. Ahmed Hameed,
I believe that incidences like these can never be condemned enough. I would like to extend my heartfelt grief towards the victims of this massacre.
I empathize with your for the expressed indignation, but this is not an act that has been democratically voted for and approved by Pakistani’s people. You do not need to be ashamed of being a ‘Pakistani’ because of this incident. This is an act approved by the head of the state representing the people. I wish also for a peaceful resolution and stability in the areas affected by this incident. I believe that if there is something that you should be ashamed of, is a poor choice in democratically electing such a president (I believe that you should understand that you want to live is a democratic society that values freedom and peace for its citizens and at the same time doesn’t have imperialistic agenda). I am sure that you wouldn’t have voted him a president without looking at his manifesto. If you be honest to your heart, I am also sure that you are well aware of the fund risings that occur in your country for promoting unrest in other countries. This is something that must make you feel ashamed of.
The only solution, seems to me, is choose another representative to take care of this situation before he becomes another Saddam Hussain! The lost lives can’t be regained and what can be done is to apprehend the people responsible for this act, right from the top of the ministry and prosecute them just like Saddam (call the war fair or unfair, we all have to agree that his approval of such a massacre is really cold. I don’t think that there is much to debate there because he should have brought the culprits involved in the massacre to his own mode of justice, under his governance) is being tried. If you cannot find any better representative, the situation would speak for itself and then you would have something to regret but not a reason sufficient to be ashamed to be a Pakistani (because it would be pellucid that he is the best of what you got in the lot!).
The only thing that seems to be particularly disturbing in your response is what you think was an “analogy”. The tone of your expression does unequivocally reek of your support for the imperialistic agenda of Pakistan. I sincerely request you to get your facts and history straight before you pass any of your “noble” comments. It is because such fraudulent thinking that the young minds in the Kashmir valley and in POK are getting perverted. There is nothing to talk about POK if you know what it stands for, it should ring a bell in your own mind how it was occupied by Pakistan. Don’t delve in past it is too bloody, try to be proactive in preventing any future carnages. History is definitely the foundation for both the present and the future but my friend, don’t be myopic, we were all one nation to begin with. Akin to an old house that need renovation, so does our relations as neighbors and as once-upon-a-time brothers of the same family needs remodeling. We have to work towards rekindling this instead of trying to set the neighbors house ablaze.
In all these years, we have invested a great amount of wealth and priceless human creativity into engaging in wars and tried to prove supremacy, but at the end do you want differ from me at best describing the animosity as nothing but a “family feud”? No one wins in a family feud, both the brothers loose. Even if one wins, they still loose their brother! Wait a minute, I will take it back, it is in the favor of the one who wants to make business out of the feud by selling arms. Therefore, do you realize that we have not learnt anything from our nation’s or nationas’ the oppressive colonial past? Try rethinking on these lines and you would probably differ from you own self!
Those poisonous words and the thinking underlying them is not in anyone’s favor my friend, I beseech you to relinquish them. Our countries could both have been prosperous and regained our past glory because of the quality of brains that we have, but only if we wouldn’t have chosen to invest all of it in engaging in wars! We have to each get emotional upon remembering the sacrifices that both the nations had to offer for our existence but we don’t need to get enslaved by them.
As deplorable as it is, those figures of the present incident stand no where near the massacres that occur in India powered by your nation. Don’t you think that it gives you something much more to be ashamed of? Bribing and creating radical thinking can never bring peace. Such massacres would keep happening. As once expressed in one of the Hindi films, you can grow wheat if you sow guns my friend.
You sure sound to be more concerned about the image of your nation but not the agenda or the consequence of such an agenda. This sure is a clear consequence of what could be expected out of such an agenda at its worst. My friend, do not get me wrong by being so elaborate on so many issues I do not intend to intimidate or insult you. I want you to understand that everyone’s life is valuable be it a person in Balochistan/ Pakistan/ India/ USA/ Iraq……
Each one of our life could be a legacy, a guiding lantern for somebody else to follow and improve upon.
I would like, at the end to point out at the way things are turning out all around the world. God had given us such a creative mind and the power to create and propagate our own kind. He is also watching us my friend and sure seems to be unhappy (pay attention of the number of calamities that have occurred this last year 2005). There sure seem to be a divine intent to annihilate his creation. Don’t make Him/ contribute towards His regret any more by spreading such bad thoughts that are more driven by canards than facts.
I am a sincere humanitarian, and anyone feel the pain of misery be it in Balochistan, Pakistan, Iraq, India, Africa or for that matter any where. With so much of development that we claim to have achieved, what good is it all if we can’t take care of our own kind and succumb to such heinous acts driven by greed for wealth and power?
I am a Hindu but I have an open mind to appreciate the good of all the religions, I do not know if Mr. President George Bush is a real Christian, but Christianity professes – Love the sinner and hate the sin, concept.
May God have mercy on all of us and forgive the sins that our human kind is inflicting on our own kind and on the nature, his creation!
“Asato maa sath gamayaa
Tamasoo maa jyotir gamayaa
Mrityor maa amrutam gamaya”
Meaning – May God empower us to move from lies and deceit to reality, from darkness of ignorance to enlightenment and from death to immortality (the only way know to man to become immortal is by becoming famous).

Sarve jana sukhinoo bhavantu
Lookaa samastaa sukhino bhavantu

May all the people be happy and prosperous. May the whole world be happy and prosperous. In other words, by following the path of His divine light as perceived by people belonging to different modes of worship, may every one in the universe be peaceful, wealthy and content.

It is simply the lack of media owenership by minotiries. Once the media is controlled by the rich and real secularist then only the world can be seen in its true light. Until then there is only one truth. The truth of America and the White media.

Humanity? There is no such thing!

not only is the article revolting, but the pictures of small kids being blown apart by bombs and shells is nauseating and makes me angry to the core.Killing of children in the name of extending government control over Baluchistan is illegal, and a crime against humanity. Take Gwadar for instance, the Pakistan Government has systematically depopulated it of its Baloch residents and repopulated it with ethnic Punjabis. We provide 40% of the minerals of Pakistan and get only 2.5% of the total spending.THIS IS COLONISATION OF BALOCHISTAN. 1947, it seems was not a year of independence for us, only for the Punjabis.The mainstay Pakistan army must remeber than we Balochis too have shed our blood in the freedom struggle and the various wars against India and Afghansitan. Many Baloch tribes were made homeless during the nuclear tests. I, being a second generation from UK, will have to confess that I have always been able to associate myself to a much larger with Indian and Bangladeshi migrants rather than the Pakistanis. I am so depressed after seeing the photos, that If I was givcen a choice, I'd rather have Balochistan to be a part of Iran or India or a free state rather have it under the control of Pakistan.
I hope the international community, US, India, Iran, Human Rights come to our aid, beofre we are exterminated as a people and become an insignificant minority in our own country.

Abida Baloch

hey , i think that balochistan should reject islam and merge with iran.

The World community has to wake up and notice this before it is too late. This is MURDER which canot be allowed to forgiven under any pretext

The poor and the meak of the world face the same plight,none to speak for them,none to stand for them and if they somehow garner the courage to speak,none to hear them.

The poor and the meak of the world face the same plight,none to speak for them,none to stand for them and if they somehow garner the courage to speak,none to hear them.

how can one do like this his own race....it is more brutal than the vampires and animal behaviour as they are done meticuously on such large scale.

this will divide the humanity and give brutal blows to the god's creations that is living on this earth .may god give strength to those suffering and courage to bear this inhuman behaviour and the tyrants peace and foresight to see their own killing themselves (suicide).

let everyone condole and be with balochs and be with them in their cause.

I full agree with the author's view on the Pakistani army atrocities on innocent Baluchs. It is indeed surprising that the so-called secularists in India, who cried hoarse on the riots in Gujarat, have turned a blind-eye to this state sponsored attocity.

Unbelievable. Can we get more accounts of what is happening? Pakistan prides on Islamisation. Shame. Where does Islam say that non-Muslims (read it as non-Sunnis) should be exterminated or treated in such atrocious manner?

Pakistanis are dull headed ass holes, a bunch of hypocrites. I am surprised at their level of self denial. They breed terrorists for operations around the world and yet speak about peace as if they are aware of nothing else that is happening in the country. They tortured and raped Bengalis, hounded Ahmediyas, massacred the Balochis in the 70s in the most horrible manner and sent terrorists into Kashmir and yet put up a face like civilized people. God bless the Pakistanis with the intelligence to understand what is right and what is wrong.

Dear Balochis - I know you all need much more than prayers from Indians but currently we are helpless. Indian Govt always tries to play the good guy to its own peril. I pray that the Indian Govt wakes up to your plight.

India is trying to play Pakistan. First with the tunnels on Neelam River (to divert water away from Pakistan) and now with by funding an insurgency. Ofcourse, India has a vested interest as it can find a cheap source of hydrocarbons nearby rather than sending its companies to the Gulf of Mexico or West Africa. The Balouchs are in for some shivalingam (lord shiva's pecker which the hindus pray to) worship if they think that hindus want to help them. Hell, the hindus wont even touch their own low caste dalits and aleinate their muslim minority, what will they do to the Balouchs?

Any hindu who feels a little too strongly for the Balouchs should comment on what he is doing for the freedom fighters of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Kashmir, Punjab!

If you choose to deny the insurgencies in these India states, read on. The article is from an Indian newspaper:


India's northeast has the dubious distinction of being home to Asia's longest running insurgency.

The Nagas led by A Z Phizo launched an insurrection against the newly-formed Indian nation way back in 1956.

Since then the Naga insurgency has spawned dozens of similar protests across the region that still remains on the periphery of national consciousness.

Each of the seven states in the region today has some insurgency or the other keeping the state busy, often dominating and
setting the agenda in the respective geographical area.

At last count there were at least 15 major groups in the region that have been banned by the Centre. If you take the smaller groups, the number is closer to 40.

Over the last decade, at least 11,000 people, including security forces, civilians and militants, have been killed in insurgency-related violence in the four major states of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura.

A majority of these outfits were formed in the 1980s or early 1990s but each of them is an offshoot of earlier attempts to rebel against the Indian State.

Except the Naga insurgency, most of the outfits in the northeast have been born out of neglect heaped upon by New Delhi on these distant states since Independence.

There are others who regard these insurgencies as nothing but money-making enterprises.

Says a senior army officer, who spoke on condition that he would not be identified in this report: "Insurgency is the biggest business in the northeast. Most of these groups exist only to make money through extortion and kidnappings. Ideology has taken a backseat."

Assam

Going strictly by numbers, Assam continues to bleed because of insurgency-related violence.

In 2003, over 400 people were killed in militant violence. Among the killed are a large number of militants (208) while 103 civilians died during the same period. These figures are more or less in keeping with the trend in 2002 when 445 people lost their lives in Assam. Among them were 275 militants.

Formed in 1979, the United Liberation Front of Asom became a force to reckon with in the late 1980s. It virtually ran a parallel government in the state between 1988 and 1990 till New Delhi cracked down by ordering full-fledged army action.

Operation Bajrang was followed by Operation Rhino.

More than a decade after these two military operations, ULFA remains active despite a split in its ranks and surrender of a large number of its cadres over the years.

The National Democratic Front of Bodoland was formed by group of radical Bodo youth on October 3, 1986 who, like their counterparts in ULFA, believe their nationalities can prosper only when outside the Indian State.

The NDFB is active in Assam's Bodo-dominated areas bordering West Bengal and Bhutan.

By exploding bombs across the state and in Nagaland, both ULFA and NDFB are out to prove that they are still a force to reckon with despite having being evicted from Bhutan last December.

At least two divisions of the army (20,000 troops), over 10,000 paramilitary personnel besides 50,000-odd Assam policemen remain engaged in battling ULFA, and to a lesser extent NDFB.

Manipur

As of today, Manipur is the worst case scenario in the northeast as far as militancy is concerned. Apart from the fact that there are more militant groups in the state than anywhere else -- at least seven prominent groups operate in Manipur -- the rivalries between these outfits often leads to greater violence.

Kidnappings and killings are common in Manipur.

What worries the security forces is the parallel government run by militant groups. These groups extort money or levy 'taxes' on people, government officials and businessmen.

No transporter can operate in Manipur without having paid at least three prominent militant groups.

The outfits dispense instant justice, provide protection and rule certain areas with impunity.

Some of the groups like the Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup are attempting to 'cleanse' Manipuri society by launching high-profile campaigns against drug peddlers, corrupt government officials and issuing diktats to 'preserve' Manipuri culture.

Nagaland

The state with the oldest running insurgency, Nagaland appears to be as normal as any other Indian state following the ceasefire between the Isak-Muivah group of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM). But factional fights between the IM group and its rival the S S Khaplang-led NSCN(K) has dominated the scene over the past few years.

The NSCN(IM) is regarded as a mentor of many groups in the northeast since it helped form these outfits, nurtured and armed them over the years. But it has created tensions in the northeast by demanding a 'greater Nagaland' by uniting Naga-inhabited areas spread over other states like Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Tripura

One of the most violence-prone states, Tripura has been traumatised by killings and kidnappings over the past decade. Two major outfits, the National Liberation Front of Tripura and All Tripura Tigers Force have been on the rampage, killing and kidnapping people with impunity.

Tripura, which was a princely state before Independence, has witnessed a steady decline of its indigenous population giving rise to militancy among the tribals. Tripura has nearly 10 lakh (a million) indigenous tribals who live in abject poverty in the hilly and often inaccessible areas of the state.

The two banned militant groups -- the ATTF and the NLFT -- have bases in Bangladesh across the porous international border.

Other states

Among the other states in the northeast, Meghalaya has two active insurgent groups. Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram are relatively free of militancy but security experts warn that trouble is round the corner in Arunachal Pradesh where the NSCN(IM) is making inroads in some districts.

Mizoram is perhaps the only state in the region which can claim to have abandoned insurgency. Indeed, the Mizo National Front, which was underground for 20 years, signed a landmark pact in 1986, came overground and now runs the state government.

The major militant groups in the northeast which have been declared as 'unlawful organisations' under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 include:

Assam:
The United Liberation Front of Asom.
The National Democratic Front of Bodoland.

Manipur:
The People's Liberation Army.
The United National Liberation Front.
The People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak.
The Kangleipak Communist Party.
The Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup.
The Manipur People's Liberation Front.
The Revolutionary People's Front.

Meghalaya:
The Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council.
The Achik National Volunteer Council.

Nagaland:
The National Socialist Council of Nagaland including all factions.

Tripura:
The All Tripura Tiger Force.
The National Liberation Front of Tripura.

www.rediff.com/news/2004/oct/04spec1.htm

Insurgency is bad, wherever it happens! Obviously only morons like you can defend what is happening 'just because it is happening elsewhere'.

again it is the same monster. ISI and pakistan army. pakistan army has never spared innocent civilians in their missions. history tells it. study Bangladesh massacre. It is shame on world's politicians, the strong ones, to remain mum on it. I am happy as an indian, indian govt has voiced against it. It is shame on people of pakistan to allow such things, but let me remind myself, this has been going on for many decades now, against hindus, christians and in pakistan only army can rule. everybody just succumbes against the military ruler. I pray for those children and women, and for those innocents who are caught up in this war.

It is most shocking to see that the nation which claims to be an ally in fighting a war against terror commits such heineous crimes against its people. All nations must condemn such barbaric acts in no uncertain terms and put pressure on Pakistan to stop such barbarism against its own people.

why for what, sick people

Mother fucking hindu nation keep the braw and panties of all ur mothers of nation open tonight, so that they should enjoy the hard hot full of spirm cooks of all pakistanes..they wil also bring dogs to satisfy the pussies of ur fucking AIDS CARRIER MONKEY hanuman,fucking kali mata and all other fucking pussy BAGHWANS..whom u fucking nation suck through nut the day.

pakistan+merica=bloodshed all around the world

As long as Pakistan is backed by the USA, Pakistan will be allowed to do anything they wish and the American's, the EU and the so called UN will not say anything. It's joke, as long as you are on US side you may do as you wish. US is a free country, "meaning free to do anything they wish, Iran, Iraq, Libya and may be Pakistan next and watch out Saudi Arabia". The Bush administration is taken USA back decades in eyes of rest of the world, for US, it is the world. CNN is brain washed most of them, so it's not there fault, Bush never had a brain to be washed, its full of straw.

This atrocity is not new in this subcontinent. Do you know, that what the hell North Indians do to the rest. They are even bigger morons. For these people (punjabi pakistani and north india), a single nation is a place, from where, they can suck the blood. They are the bloodiest hypocrates. Unimaginable exploitation. Still both the demons find friendship in cricket to give a complete blind eye on these issues of existance. Let these eunuchs (as they fight with unarmed people) go to hell.

The story is same,repeated it is not the religion but ethnicity which makes a country.pakistan is ruled by punjabi muslims who have nothing in common with sidhis,balochis and any other ethnic group.For punjabis they are not their brothers rather they are slaves for them.So they are doing just to their ethnic group.They have done this in case of bangladesh too.So Balochis or sindhis deserve this because they were not intelligent enough to see their future in pakistan.

its a shame i really doubt weather we are living in a civilised society? what happened to human rights comission,amnesty international,minority comission are they watching?shame and brutal

HRW, AI gave up the day when the Indian government covered up the stae sponsored genocide in Punjab, Kashmir and Gujarat in India. They gave up on the region after being denied entry in Indian occupied Kashmir.

THE CONTEXT OF THE VIOLENCE IN GUJARAT
www.hrw.org/reports/2002/india/India0402-05.htm

India's crap on HRW
www.hrw.org/doc

India: Punjab - Twenty years on impunity continues
web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200992004

India: AI membership expresses solidarity to the families of the disappeared in Punjab
web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200052003

India: Memorandum to the Government of Gujarat
web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200042002

India: Gujarat -- Denial of Justice for Victims
web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200032004

Oh Brother! This person acts as though he knows it all! How can his 'knowledge' ever justify what you see in the photos?

Once in a while keep looking into the miror my friend!

It's a shame for the rest of the world to sit quietly and watch such brutalities. its not only the pakistani army and the leaders but also the rest of the so called supper powers are responsible for this who are encouraging such genocide without stopping them.

This is shame. What the hell is going on in this world. Huminity is dyeing day by day. This took me to very big surpirse. What is they going to achieve by killing this innocent people. This is terrible and really painful.

Any sane person will be shocked by this genocidal action against the minority Baloch. i pity the hapless children, will Indians being good neighbors come to their rescue. I will support Indian military action if needed. Please save this innocent children from the Pakistani Punjabi colonial greed. How can all the developed/developing nations keep quiet on this contemporary holocaust? Shame on us all.

its atrocious.the pakistani punjabi army should not be allowed to massacre our brethren,balochs...not all balochs can tolerate their children being ripped apart by those infidel punjabis....Its time for us to rise up and claim our land to ourself...else our children would not forgive us for our cowardly spineless behaviour

The injuries suffered by these unfortunate children and freedom fighters does not look like they were inflicted by missile attacks or bomb shrapnel. It looks like they were tortured for a prolonged time and slowly mutilated until they died. What a gory sight. Only monsters could inflict such suffering, and on young children at that.

The state that does this to its own citizens, apparently with the flimsiest of excuse, is a monstrous, Hitlerian fascist state, and deserves to be wiped off the map.

This brings back memories of what Pakistan did in Bangladesh in 1971, though that was on a far larger scale. It is time to unravel the criminal state of Pakistan that can slaughter its own citizens enmasse.

As an indian in a distant city, I can only wish good luck to the Balochi freedom fighters. Inshallah, your struggle will bear fruit. Keep up your brave resistance.

I also want to point out how Pakistan bombed a temple to rubble, in which scores of unarmed Hindu women and children were blown to pieces. Shame on the cowards in the Pakistan army.

What a shame on the Pakistani and International media for not speaking up. Where is the US concern for human rights and genocide against civilians? Why do the Pashtuns and Sindhis unite against Kalabagh dam only? Why do they think they will not be next? Why do Pashtuns think that they will not meet the same fate after Baluchistan?

This freshly trained "DOG" (Pakistani army) of Bush Administration is on its best performince in serving wishes and interests of Bush. What is going on in Balochistan is one of the setps of the Bush's "grand plan" of mining the world wealth. These pakistani dogs are being used to make the path clear for their master (American Army) to extend their control of the region beyond Iraq and Afganistan into Iran and the surrounding countries. Eliminating Baloch resistance is necessary for this grand scheme. I think Baloch people from Balochistan and around the world must unite (now is time) and raise the voice against the genocide carried out by pakistani army. I hope there are countries/organizations in the world that are sympathetic toward Baloch peolpe and willing to help.
Oh oppressed people around the wolrd GET UP AND RAISE THE VOICE TOGATHER AGAINST THE GREADY DOGS like Bush, Blair and Mush!

Please help the freedom fighters of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Kashmir, Punjab! India has killed/ raped and maimed people there for decades and has covered up its acts. Please dear hindus. Help your hindu brothers in the North East of India.

this is not hte matter of hindus or muslims, its just wht you can do to human? wht goes in ur heart by seeing this barbaric act, such acts are condemned ,, ppple shud b punished for such acts
who wver they are

What a shame on the Pakistani and International media for not speaking up. Where is the US concern for human rights and genocide against civilians? Why do the Pashtuns and Sindhis unite against Kalabagh dam only? Why do they think they will not be next? Why do Pashtuns think that they will not meet the same fate after Baluchistan?

This freshly trained "DOG" (Pakistani army) of Bush Administration is on its best performince in serving wishes and interests of Bush. What is going on in Balochistan is one of the setps of the Bush's "grand plan" of mining the world wealth. These pakistani dogs are being used to make the path clear for their master (American Army) to extend their control of the region beyond Iraq and Afganistan into Iran and the surrounding countries. Eliminating Baloch resistance is necessary for this grand scheme. I think Baloch people from Balochistan and around the world must unite (now is time) and raise the voice against the genocide carried out by pakistani army. I hope there are countries/organizations in the world that are sympathetic toward Baloch peolpe and willing to help.
Oh oppressed people around the wolrd GET UP AND RAISE THE VOICE TOGATHER AGAINST THE GREADY DOGS like Bush, Blair and Mush!

Pakistan!!!!!!!
They'e Bluffing for their Kashmiri brothers. See what the've done to their own people.

SHAME SHAME SHAME POKISTAN WE HATE YOU

Pakistani Army sucks, Pakistani Govt Sucks!
Jae BaLOUCH Jea BALOUCHISTAN!

I will give my commints only for Musharraf whome i hate ........ As much as i know about him hes the person who is trying to be more clever and more efficient in front of Pookistani people but not any more because he is wrong and we all are evidence as he is doing military operation in Kohlu we all are against because this operation in Kohlu is baseless and our Nationlist recommended to stop this military operation immediately but Musharraf is not sincere in resolving the issue of Balochistan through political means rather it wanted to settle it through the barrels of gun.The situation in Dera Bugti and Kohlu areas where firing and strafing have become daily routine.He is just tried to hoodwink the nation by clamining that no military operation was under way in Kohlu such a propoganda is a ploy to distract peoples attention from the real issues and obstructing the process and truning the situation worse..... And we however made it clear that such negotiations could not be held at gunpoint.It is to inform the Government to stop thinking that it could subjugate the Baloch people throught guns and heavy bombardment and by taking control of their resources.... And at last i just want to say that Musharraf is the only person who is the cause of unrest and creating restive conditions in da country.He must create a congenial atmosphere and take confidence building measure ......

I will give my commints only for Musharraf whome i hate ........ As much as i know about him hes the person who is trying to be more clever and more efficient in front of Pookistani people but not any more because he is wrong and we all are evidence as he is doing military operation in Kohlu we all are against because this operation in Kohlu is baseless and our Nationlist recommended to stop this military operation immediately but Musharraf is not sincere in resolving the issue of Balochistan through political means rather it wanted to settle it through the barrels of gun.The situation in Dera Bugti and Kohlu areas where firing and strafing have become daily routine.He is just tried to hoodwink the nation by clamining that no military operation was under way in Kohlu such a propoganda is a ploy to distract peoples attention from the real issues and obstructing the process and truning the situation worse..... And we however made it clear that such negotiations could not be held at gunpoint.It is to inform the Government to stop thinking that it could subjugate the Baloch people throught guns and heavy bombardment and by taking control of their resources.... And at last i just want to say that Musharraf is the only person who is the cause of unrest and creating restive conditions in da country.He must create a congenial atmosphere and take confidence building measure ......

On 17th December 2005 Pakistani Army launched an army operation against innocent Marri Baloch people throughout Kohlu District, Parts of Dera Bugti, Noshki, Makran Districts and other parts of Balochistan.

More then thirty thousand army personnel twelve Gunship helicopters, four fighter jets, several spy planes of different sizes, heavy artillery and missiles are being used only in Talli, Bambore, Kahan, Jabbar, Nasau, Quat, Mundai and other parts of Marri Area.

Due to ten days of intensive bombing and shelling by army Jets, Gunship Helicopters and heavy artillery at least 86 confirm deaths and more then 120 serious wounded have been reported. Mostly victims are women and young children.

It is time for the Baloch people to unite and stand up against such atrocities by Punjabi Pakistan. Let me remind the international community that it is not the first time that such severe measures have been taken against the Baloch Nation.

Until and unless the Baloch don’t unite and get the help of the international community to put a leash on Pakistani (Punjabi Army) this slaughter of Baloch people will continue.

Pictures of Marri women and children killed in bombing and shelling by Pakistani Army. This shameless Pakistani Army still denies that there is no Army Operation going on in Balochistan.

Take a look at the pictures below they speak for themselves, mutilated bodies of innocent young children who were deprived of all the facilities of modern world and now deprived of their own life, all this destitution to the Baloch is by the tyrant and shameless Punjabi Pakistani Army. By Balochvoice.com 28.12.05

Pakistan Army is a unit comprised of Fucking basturds and that includes president Pervez Musharraf too..

Shame fuckistan , shame napak army, shame motherfucker punjabies, shame asshole mushi. shame on international media, shame on USA, UN and whole international community Shame on all human lovers... They all are calm and quiet!!! shame Shame shame!

Musharraf and others responsible for this barbarity should be tried for treason and if found guilty, then they should given the maximum punishment under the law, which is the death penalty.

Killing of childeren has never been permitted even in times of war. This action of the army smacks of injustice to humanity of the highest order and categorises the army as a bunch of indisciplined thugs and killers. And my dear good people of Baloch, do not expect help from UN or the rest of the world. They suck up to pakistan for thier own benefit and will never listen to your plight. Fight !! Get up anf Fight !!!

fuck u pak army u killed in waziristan now in balochistan

Shame shame what shame full act army of pakistan doing
they r dogs of america

You guys should read my post again i was not in any way justifying the killing of innocent civillian infact i highy condemn the deaths of innocent civillians. the army is not targeting You guys should read my post again i was not in any way justifying the killing of innocent civillian infact i highy condemn the deaths of innocent civillians. the army is not targeting civilian and killing them as many people here think. the army went in to establish law and order as would any government do under circumstances like this one. the insurgents fired on pakistani troops and they fired back the collateral damage was bound to happen.

second of all lets put all our ethnic pride aside there is no punjabi army there, its the pakistani army. the balochi people influenced by lies and propanganda of their leader are told that the punjabies are the cause of all there woes wich is not true at all. the sardars have denied them education so they cant progress by themselves. the development that is happening in the province is always in someways thwarted by the rebals cause they are told that the "Punjabis" will only benefit. the whole society is thinking backwardly and they assume the government is their mortal enemy.

third of all the corrupt feudal lords should be removd one way or another thats the only solution.we should have done what the indians have done right after the partition. remove all feudal lords and waderas from society. these devils eat up all the tax money the pakistani people so hardly earn and fill up there own pockets. i woudent be surprised if these so called people with baloch at the end of their name are associatd with the balochi freedom movment.you found it your duty to creat division among our own people. to an outsider they wont regoniz you if you say you are balochi to them you will be a pakistani we all are one and will remain so in the future.

fourth of all those indian who are happily celebrating and trying to exploit the situation and declaring pakistan a terrorist nation, what about gujat when 2000 muslims were massacred and the goverment sat there and did nothing. what about when that gandhi was assinated and the goverment went to sikh temples and killed lots of innocent people there. ondia is more of a rogue stated then pakistan is. therare over 20 freedoom stuggles in india right now you should look in your own backyard then be a bunch of hypocrites. india oppresses its minoritys and surpresses its freedom struggles the so called biggest democracy on earth is all bs and a lie.

Not only the above. What about POK. After the earthquake, the situation is terrible. Nobody is bothered about the people there. In Balochistan people died, but in POK people are dying slowly especially the children. The English media is least bothered to throw light on the situation in POK.

Shame on Paki Bastards and Shame on Bush Administration for calling Pakis as their allies in war against terrorism. Americans forget that Pakistani Mullas+Military= Terrorism. Where are the human right activists now? Pakistan army is out of control and US is indirectly responsible for it. US dollars and arms have given new life the Paki military establishment. Folks, write to your congressmen and senators. Pakis must be stopped.

This is not good at all. As an INDIAN , I support morally to people of Balochistan. Anywhere in this world, if its' against humanity, I support it. where is USA, UN and others to talk over here? why they only attack iraq, iran and other oil reach countries. World politics is full of dogs & wolves.

Please help the freedom fighters of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Kashmir, Punjab! India has killed/ raped and maimed people there for decades and has covered up its acts and has prevented the world from learning about the atrocities in India. Please hindus. Help your hindu brothers in the North East of India.

www.rediff.com/news/2004/oct/04spec1.htm

Hey anonymous poster, you know what you could do

as an indian ..... you can go fuck yourself!

By scaining the ip addresses of all the posters i have came to a result and that is most of the posters are Indians and display their name as something Baloch or may be some Muslim name mostly and some even posted the same thing two times with different names so ........Indi's please stop this shit and for all Pakistanis this place is just for propaganda against Pak and nothing more so just don't stick here around

As for the pics above they at all from Balochistan and i can prove it.....
Two are from IOK and i saw them on a site as well and others mostly look to be from afghanistan (during the early days of US invasion) and nothing more

so just don't fuck ur ass here and do ur work which is more important then reading and answering this propaganda

If this is true, then I am apalled. How low can anyone stoop!

alright the last three photographs are from the Earth Quake in Kashmir and i got proof of that as well

so now all here can imagine what the hell is going on here and this site is just making all of u guys fool

As for me this was my last post here and am not going to come here any more bcz i have more important things to do then just read untrue happenings

are u the same person as the above or some one else using the name IP CHECKER trying to make him look ridiculas. lol another hindu caught trying to spread lies

if u now its not balochsitan then give the prove why u r talking to much basterd i dont say india help us but it is also true pakistan army is not not good its baloch and never will die after 100 years but never never we will tell pakistan army what we r ..................

im not surprised that no indians have replied me yet. reality hurts dosenit and about the pictures above i can only see 2 to 3 bodies and you guys start calling it a massacre?http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/index.html


Child dies as rockets rain on Mach city

By Muhammad Ejaz Khan

QUETTA: Sporadic incidents of violence continued unabated in different parts of Balochistan, as saboteurs attacked a convoy of the paramilitary Frontier Corps and a check-post of security forces in Dera Bugti and fired a barrage of rockets in the Mach city, killing a minor boy and injuring five others.

The police said saboteurs fired 18 rockets from atop nearby mountains that landed in various parts of the Mach city in the Bolan district, some 50km from the provincial capital.

"The city looked like a battlefield," an eyewitness told The News from Mach by telephone. The rockets rained on the city, creating panic among the citizens, sources added.

The police said four-year-old Nazeer Ahmed was killed when splinters of a rocket hit him while he was playing with his brother in the courtyard of his house in Mach.

The police added that four others, including a woman, were also injured in different localities when fragments of the rockets hit them. They were ferried to a local hospital, where some of them were listed in a critical condition.

Reports reaching here from Mach said the rockets also damaged the houses of many citizens. The police also confirmed damage to property. The police claimed that the law-enforcement agencies retaliated and the saboteurs fled the scene.

In another incident, four rockets were fired at an FC check-post in the Mand area of the Turbat district. However, no loss of life or damage to property was reported.

The rockets, fired from some unknown place, landed near the FC check-post. The paramilitary force returned the fire, forcing the attackers to flee. The FC personnel cordoned off the whole area and started search for the assailants but in vain.

Meanwhile, officials in Dera Bugti said miscreants attacked an FC check-post near the Loti gas field with rockets. However, no fatalities were reported.

In further violence, a convoy of the paramilitary force came under rocket fire in the Pirkoh area. The FC men retaliated, but the assailants managed to escape, said DCO Dera Bugti Abdul Samad Lasi.

Same treatment was and is metted out to Kashmiris in the name of fake freedom movement and jihad.

Same treatment was and is metted out to Kashmiris in the name of fake freedom movement and jihad.

This is outrageous. I wouldn't justify this kind of action even for just causes.

pakistan ki maa ka bhosda
fuck islam

hey mother fucker dont use any bad words about ISLAM ok u dont no any thing about ISLAM so dont use bad words okkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

Where is the Human Right Organizations? Where is the UNO? What happened to the EU? Are they all deaf blind?
For Pakistanis its a normal to bombard and kill innocent people. They have done it in Balochistan many times, they have done it in Bangladesh. But is it ok for the world too see all this and keep quiet?

HRW, AI have been ranting too long about atrocities in the region by India and have stopped covering the region as India has set a very high precedent. Nothing compares to India's killing spree over the last 5 decades.

THE CONTEXT OF THE VIOLENCE IN GUJARAT
www.hrw.org/reports/2002/india/India0402-05.htm

India's crap on HRW
www.hrw.org/doc

India: Punjab - Twenty years on impunity continues
web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200992004

India: AI membership expresses solidarity to the families of the disappeared in Punjab
web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200052003

India: Memorandum to the Government of Gujarat
web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200042002

India: Gujarat -- Denial of Justice for Victims
web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200032004

Will Pakistan(err... paki-punjabi's) ever learn from its own mistakes??(Does any one remember Bangladesh?)... You are digging your own grave mushrraf..

Hey Mujahid... seems you've really lost it. Instead of doing something for your own bretheren in Balochistan, you are just trying to vent your hatred. Dont judge anyone by his religion... we know it and we practice it(we got our prez and prime-minister who are non-hindus), We know it very well.. how to co-exist and live amicably.And just you know... 95% of the paki people have hindu origin, perhaps including your ancestors.
Go get some life you looser!

You have alot of nerve publishing lies on the internet try to tarnish Pakistan's Image when you yourself are scarred by your own inhibitions. If dare to call yourself Pakistani by any means then you wouldn't used an indian web-site. You are naive to think these (rat) indians are sympathetic towards your cause. When the time is right, the truth will come out and vanquish all those who tried to conspire, sabotage and lie.

What grounds do you have to say that its not your own "jahil" sadars who've lived off the poor masses. Living like lords when innocent Pakistani Baluchis are subjected to your tyrrany. Fact of the matter is that you so called Baluchi nationalists have woken up to the reality that Pakistan Government as began massive economic development with opening Gwadar and Ormara to the world.

This threatens you coward sardars because there will be development in the area and those who once were your slaves would now be able to work for their own bread and butter. They would get a chance to get an education and would discover that their lives were in misery subject your coward sardars.

Also, i wasn't surprised when you indians signed up this traitor to do your dirty work.

Lemme give you a peace of advice, Mr. Wahid Baluch. You should pack your bags and move to india whose been so sympathetic towards you. Once you egt there, tell how its like living b/w 900 million hindu zealots who've massacred thousands of Muslims in gujrat. Who destroyed a 16th century mosque.

Also Mr. Wahid Baluch, if you and your father were awake then you'd remember what happen in 1971. What these sadistic, cunniving indians did to destroy Pakistan.

You sir, are blinded by vanity. The appearent truth is nothing but a smokescreen, its that which is behind the smokescreen, which is the reality, the truth.

I'm a Pukhtun and know better than most Pakistanis what these indians have been trying to do in Afghanistan and now Baluchistan.

I end by telling you this, till the day Allah has blessed Pakistan with Faithful Muslims who recognize false when they see, hear or confront. Till that day no one will be able to lay an eye on my country. This is the word of a Pukhtun.

Hahaha, shows how much you know about 1971. You know there are still paki's living in Bangladesh in refugee camps. Now they don't have any allowance from Pakistan. If Pakistan was soo caring, don't you think they would go pick them up using a plane.

Genocide in Bangladesh, 1971
www.gendercide.org/case_bangladesh.html

More muslims have died in Pakistan and East Pakistan than in India after independance.

I suggest you read your facts.
Check the growth rate of Gujarat like Jamal said, 15.2%. Just states all the facts. No need to talk, facts are on the table.

Hey deepak-whateva, why don't dig your own grave and go shit yourself in it. Oh no what am i saying, you filthy rat-indians don't get the prevlidge of gettin burried. No you maggots get burnt to ashes!!!!!! Woot!!

Shame on you pakistani people!

It is a sad moment that muslims are killing fellow muslims on a regular basis. We muslims are busy in blaming western powerts and not paying attention to atrocities with in our own countries.
Regarding Balochistan, nawab of Balochistan are responsible for the current situation.They have not distributed money to their own people and poor Balochies are suffering on daily basis. These nawab have their own forces ant their own laws to create lawlessness and punish people who want fairness. The action of Pakistani goverment is right as you an create your own government with in a government; this is treason. we do realize that innocent are killed but thiis is a process which every nation have to go through to destabilize the corrupt and unfair establisment of bugti, Mari and other tribes. We have to get away from tribe mentality as prophet did during the early Islamic era and then able to establish a strong goverment.

Massacre of Hindus in Balochistan by Pakistani Army : Video

 

Mass Killing in Dera Bugti

 

List of martyred Persons of Hindu Minorities

 

Children	Name and parentage	Age
1	Atti Divi D/O Bacha Mal	One & half years
2	Quvita Devi D/O Dewan Chand	3 years
3	Sarkasha Devi D/O Saroon Kumar	Two & half years
4	Amar Devi D/O Rajesh Kumar	One & half years
5	Deepak Kumar S/O Narenjan Kumar	One & half years
6	Vicky Kumar S/O Tara Kumar	One & half years
7	Ajeet Kumar S/O Vicky Kumar	2 Years
8	Washal S/O Manoher Lal	Five & half years
9	Raveet S/O Manoher Lal	Two & half years
10	Rekha Devi D/O Rukan Chand	5 years
11	Ameer Chand S/O Rukan Chand	2 Years
12	Sant Kumar S/O Nand Lal	5 Years
13	Sangeeta Davi D/O Nand Lal	3 Years
14	Narmeeta Devi D/O Moti Lal	7 Years
15	Vikram S/O Sant lal	9 Years
16	Barkha Devi D/O Luchhman Singh	3 Years
17	Ramesh Kumar S/O Preetam Kumar	1 Year
18	Ravi Kumar S/O Ramesh lal	5 Years
19	Ameet kumar S/O Dewan Chand	16 Years

Women	Names
1	Zarka Devi W/O Manoher Lal
2	Sharmeela deve W/O Rukan Chand
3	Mai Conish Devi W/O Moti Lal

Men	Names
1	Mukhi Mohan Mal S/O Bharma Mals
2	Dewan Chand S/O Tara Chand
3	Saroom Kumar S/O Deyal Dass
4	Laloo Mal S/O deyal Dass
5	Ram Lal S/O Chander Lal
6	Rajesh Kumar S/O Chander Lal
7	Narjen Kumar S/O Ranjhan Dass
8	Nand Lal S/O Sobha Singh
9	Resha Dass S/O Nand Lal
10	Bacha Mal S/O Mokhi Mohan Mal
11	Suresh Kumar S/O Santu: succumbed to his injuries on 22nd of March, 2005

Injured Men	Names
1	Ashok Kumar S/O Tara Chand
2	Ghulshan Kumar S/O Sunder Lal
3	Jaspal S/O sunder Lal
4	Santosh Kumar S/O Moti Lal
5	Govind Ram S/O Rukan Chand
6	Ramesh Kumar S/O Moti Lal
7	Naresh S/O Tara Chand
8	Mankoo S/O Deyal Dass
9	Krin Kumar S/O Lal Chand
10	Pond Kumar S/O Deyal Dass
11	Bhagwan Dass S/O Meechal Ram
12	Sham Lal S/O Nama Mal
13	Bhagoo Mal S/O Chon Lal
14	Rohan Kumar S/O Moti Lal
15	Vicky S/O Doulat ram
16	Navend lal S/O Mohan Ram
17	Darshan Kumar S/O Bhagwan Dass
18	Jewat Lal S/O Lal Chand
19	Sanjeet S/O Anand Lal

Injured Women	Names
1	Atti Devi W/O chander Lal
2	Anjna Devi W/O Rajinder Kumar
3	Aasha Deve W/O Dewan Chand
4	Daughter of Chander Lal
5	Mai Laila W/O Santoo Mal

On 17th of March, 2005 at Dera Bugti:

 

Men	Names
1	Yar M. Karmanzai S/O Hazar Khan
2	Gulzar S/O Raitag Dodazai
3	Shah Jamal alias Tota S/O Molha Moondrani
4	Ali Mohammad S/O Eido Karmanzais
5	Murad Bakhsh S/O Moula Bakhsh Karmanzai
6	Murid S/O Zarak Kmaranzai
7	Sharif S/O Shahwano Phoonja
8	Ghouso Ramezai S/O Jango
9	Amin Mandwani S/O Dina Moondwani
10	Janga S/O Mast Ali Chandrazai
11	Wali Dad Marhata
12	Malook Masoori S/O Daryan
13	Ghulam Ali Ranazai S/O Ramoo
14	Udo Sandrani S/O Tangi
15	Nasiban S/O Namal Kamanzai
16	Raman Nothani
17	Gul Bahar Nothani
18	Mohammad Din Joz
19	Ilmuddin Shambani
20	Yar Khan Sianzai
21	Wushdal Dom
22	Amiruddin Dangi
23	Taj Kohli
24	Kool Mir
25	Wasyak Pirbur
26	Nawabuddin Hamzani
27	Gohram Marhata
28	Bari Pahi S/O Raman

Thank for providing the list of the victims of pakistani state terrorism against Balochs and minority HIndus

Balochistan deserves its independence!The Indians must assist the Balochis in every possible way!
Its time to create another Bangladesh on their western frontiers.
For those low life Pakis talking abt fabricated Indian pics I suggest they step out of their medrassah horizon and check the URL if they know what it means!

Man I didn't know the residents of a country which practices State terrorism on a daily basis in Kashmir, Assam, Nagaland and Khalistan would have the audacity to come here and badmouth other countries on small infractions.
Bunch of cow urine drinkers claim to be world's largest democracy but, ironically, fail to give the people their basic right of self determination. Sod off jerks...go shower in some cow p*ss.

State terrorism daily according to pakistan. Look at IOK:

What is even more striking is how Indian Kashmir is better off than Pakistan. Kashmir's literacy at 59% is much higher than Pakistan's 44%. In general, India's social indices are many notches ahead of Pakistan's. Even if Kashmir's indicators were no better than the Indian average, it would be much better off with India than with Pakistan. Per capita calorie intake in India is now higher and infant mortality is lower. India has made greater strides in developing it's infrastructure - whether it be railways, telecommunications or mass-media. Indians are now more likely to have access to a telephone, color TV or cable TV connection. They are also less indebted to the international finance community. Per capita hard currency debt in Pakistan is more than double India's. India, being a secular state has given far more importance to scientific education and research. For example, in Pakistan, 4500 out of 5000 Ph.D.s awarded after independence, were in Islamic studies - i.e. less than 500 were in the sciences. In India, 40,000 out of 75,000 Ph.D.s awarded were in the sciences, and only a fraction of the other 35,000 were in religious studies. This means that although India's population is about 6 times that of Pakistan's, it has produced more than 80 times as many Ph.D.s in the sciences as has Pakistan.

All things considered, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have far more opportunities in India than they would, if they seceded and joined with Pakistan.

These facts just prove that Pakistan Kashmir is not progressing.

Another Piece of info;
Are Kashmiris Oppressed?
Thirdly, it should be noted that the demand for self-determination leading to secession has usually been advanced by an opressed people. Are the Kashmiri people oppressed? In 1947, J&K was at the bottom of the economic ladder in India. In 1960-61 it ranked 11th among 16 states of India in per capita income; in 1971-72, 14th among 24 states. But with generous Central assistance it had improved its position by 1981-82 to number 7, surpassing industrial West Bengal, A.P., Karnataka and Tamil Nadu!

Links:
www.ashanet.org/projects/state-view.php for india's Kashmir.

70-80% of Kashmiri's prefer to be in India.

If you want to talk about Gujarat. Look at it today, one of the fastest growing States. GDP grew by an enormous 15.2%. Don't you think that it is up to the people of Gujarat who they want?

To all the pakistani's who think that they will overtake India etc....Take a look at this statistic, The state of Maharashtra is 4 times bigger economy with smaller population. Baffling facts isn't it.

I am a muslim from India, and I can pray in a mosque whenever I like, no one stops me. That is the beauty of India. President Kalam is a muslim. We put a Dalit as a PM.

It doesn't matter where the attrocities occur, they should all be stopped.

On November 17, Kamran Khan called on Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao to confirm that India’s RAW was involved in the Karachi bombing; but Sherpao insisted he had no proof.
No one outside Pakistan (or even outside Punjab) is going to believe Islamabad’s story. It is clear that the government doesn’t care whether a neutral witness confirms if its claim. President Musharraf’s growing isolation within the country, coupled with his waning credibility in foreign capitals, is going to compound the problems faced by Pakistan. This is the juncture where Islamabad should pause and meditate a bit more on the wisdom of the divisive policies it is pursuing. *
EDITORIAL: Plot thickens in Balochistan?

www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006%5C01%5C10%5Cstory_10-1-2006_pg3_1

---

HRCP predicts more violence in Balochistan

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) mission to Balochistan, led by HRCP Chairperson Asma Jahangir and consisting of former chairperson Afrasiab Khattak and Zahoor Ahmed Shawani, has completed its visit to Dera Bugti.

The mission expressed serious concerns over the rapidly deteriorating situation in and around Dera Bugti and reiterated its demand that all armed conflicts halt immediately and negotiations be initiated. The HRCP mission also observed a large presence of security forces in Dera Bugti, despite the fact that there are no gas installations in the area.

Given the tense situation, the HRCP predicted an escalation in the scale of armed conflicts in the region, which would cause irreparable damage to the federation’s integrity if the confrontation continued.

Due to the ongoing military operations, around 85 percent of the local population had left Sui, while Nawab Akbar Bugti had also vacated his residence in the town. Sui has, in fact, been cut off from the outside world since December 17. On the arrival of the HRCP team, a large number of people gathered to greet the delegates and appraised them about their problems, relieved that someone had come to hear what they had to say.

HRCP is expected to issue a detailed report based on its findings in Balochistan within the next few days. The delegation was also surprised to note the police had not registered a first information report (FIR) on the shooting at an HRCP vehicle on Sunday. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility, although the outfit has no quarrel with HRCP.

 

LOL...The Pakis seem to revel in these golden showers..DOnt they?!!
Wasnt without reason the prophet prescribed camel urine to his followers?Eh!

Spread the word to free Balochistan.The balochis have their right to self determination.

ANother few years,Balochistan will be a free country and the nefarious designs of Pakistan to dismember KAshmir from India will only remain a wet dream these incestuous Muslims have every night!

LOL...The Pakis seem to revel in these golden showers..DOnt they?!!
Wasnt without reason the prophet prescribed camel urine to his followers?Eh!

Spread the word to free Balochistan.The balochis have their right to self determination.

ANother few years,Balochistan will be a free country and the nefarious designs of Pakistan to dismember KAshmir from India will only remain a wet dream these incestuous Muslims have every night!

Gasline blown up

www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp

QUETTA/MULTAN: The main gas pipeline of the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) was blown up in Rajanpur district on Sunday, suspending gas supply to Punjab and NWFP.

SNGPL Managing Director Rasheed Loan said that the pipeline in Rajanpur district in Punjab was blown up, adjacent to Dera Bugti in Balochistan.

The blast also melted a nearby railway track, causing the suspension of trains on the Multan-Quetta route via Dera Ghazi Khan. “We have detained trains at Dera Ghazi Khan and Kashmore. Traffic on the Dera Ghazi Khan-Kashmore section was suspended as the track melted from the heat of the blast,” Railway Divisional Superintendent Irfan Gauhar said. Sources said that gas supply to the Muzaffargarh, Multan and Kotadu thermal power stations was also suspended.

Loan said that gas supply from Sui through SNGPL had been suspended, but an alternate gas supply to Punjab and NWFP had continued. Repair work on the gas line will be completed late on Monday, he said.

Meanwhile, miscreants blew up a gas line in the Saryab area of Quetta on Sunday night. The gas company GM Muhammad Nawaz said that the blast had suspended gas supply to Killi Shahnawaz and adjacent areas. staff report

pakistan should be destroyed . we have tolerated that country(if it can be called that) for a very long time .If it wern't for Javehar lal Nehru we would have had Pak conquered in the 70's .Hindus all around the world must awaken from their deep slumber.Or else pak directed by America will commit more henious crimes agaist hindus and even indian muslims.Just look at what those basterds are capable of ...and what erks me the most is how they can keep a straight face and deny everything that they have done.DESTROY PAK AND WE WOULD DESTROY THE BIGGEST TERRORIST NATION.

Dont call it Pakistan itz basically Pookistan in our language....
All Baloch want Pookistan to be destroyed even myself want this dirty land to B destroyed believe me i m sick while living here ... and as much as i concerd v Baloch people r not in a majority so v r helpless v cant make dis nation destroyed v want other countries to support us so dat v could be separated .... But no one is concentrating towards us i think no one want us to B seperated dont kno y..... this is my question ....
ACTUALLY I M NOT ANSWERING TO DA REPLY I M DEFINING MY VIEWS DATZ IT ....

LOL...The Pakis seem to revel in these golden showers..DOnt they?!!
Wasnt without reason the prophet prescribed camel urine to his followers?Eh!

Spread the word to free Balochistan.The balochis have their right to self determination.

ANother few years,Balochistan will be a free country and the nefarious designs of Pakistan to dismember KAshmir from India will only remain a wet dream these incestuous Muslims have every night!

LOL...The Pakis seem to revel in these golden showers..DOnt they?!!
Wasnt without reason the prophet prescribed camel urine to his followers?Eh!

Spread the word to free Balochistan.The balochis have their right to self determination.

ANother few years,Balochistan will be a free country and the nefarious designs of Pakistan to dismember KAshmir from India will only remain a wet dream these incestuous Muslims have every night!

Republic of BALOCHISTAN by 2007

Republic of BALOCHISTAN by 2007

Republic of BALOCHISTAN by 2007

Militants blow up gas pipeline in Balochistan

Islamabad: Suspected tribal militants blew up a pipeline running between two gas fields early Thursday in the latest incident of violence in Pakistan's troubled southwestern Balochistan province, officials said.

The incident occurred at around 2 a.m. local time in Kundkot area of Balochistan, when the militants allegedly detonated explosives, rupturing the 20-inch-diameter line.

The pipeline connects Zamzama gas field to Sui that distributes the fuel all over the country, meeting nearly 22 percent of the nationwide demand.

"According to our information, it is a terrorist act and the blast is not caused by any technical fault," the managing director of Sui Northern Gas, Rashid Lone, told reporters in Karachi.

Thursday's pipeline blast came hours after three paramilitary soldiers were killed in a roadside blast Wednesday evening in Dera Bugti area, some 56 km from Sui and blamed on the tribal militants.

Govt bent on pushing Balochistan into trouble: Akbar Bugti
DERA BUGTI: The Chairman of the Jamhoori Watan Party Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti has blamed the government of pushing Balochistan into more trouble, instead of encouraging conducive and peaceful dialogue.

While talking to the press, at Dera Bugti, he said that government had started its military operations in the area to snatch Balochi land, and we would defend our right to "total sovereignty" to death.

He said that for this purpose "we would welcome anybody, India or even devil himself."

He chided the government for considering of building cantonments and airfields, as the only forms of development.

He also denied that Sardars do not allow any welfare in their regions. There are 300 schools, and one college in the area, besides numerous hospitals and dispensaries in the region. The college was under the control of FC, who have converted it into military base, and forced all the students to flee.

He blamed the government of taking no conducive step for the development of the province, and merely trying to subjugate the Baloch by force, like The British forces of pre-independence days.

Replying to a question he said that, no doubt warring Balochis are no match for the immensely powered and huge army facing them, but we would fight till the getting "our rights".

Replying to another question, he said Musharraf had apologized to the Balochis for all the discrimination they had faced, but that turned out to be just a face wash. The government’s quest for "occupation of natural resources" which "belong to "us", is in full swing.

Replying to a question about leaving his base in Dera Bugti, he said that he was braving the shells and mortars along with his tribesmen, as he was around according to his military strategy.

Replying to a question about BLA, he said that the organization had full support of Balochi masses as well as "God Almighty himself!"

He informed the press that so far about 50 persons of the tribe have died and about 150 wounded, including women and children.

Musharraf's Other War


By Zahid Hussain
www.newsline.com.pk/NewsJan2006/cover1jan2006.htm
A thin-framed man with a cropped beard, Karim Baksh leads a group of Baloch guerrillas dug into position under a huge rock on the edge of a dusty road, a few miles away from a government paramilitary post. The ricocheting of machine-gun fire echoes in the distance.
"Let them come here, they will not be able to go back alive," Baksh laughed, stroking his Kalashnikov rifle. The others nodded approvingly. "Our men are spread all over," he claimed, pointing his finger towards the brown, parched hills. There were only a few thatched hutments scattered around the vast, barren land. The treacherous terrain made it an ideal location for guerrilla warfare.
The guerrillas, who claimed to be members of the shadowy Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), appeared well trained and were armed with machine-guns and rocket-launchers. One of the men was constantly on a wireless set receiving information about the movement of government troops. The fighters were from both the Bugti and Marri tribes. It was certainly, by far, a different outfit to the groups that confronted the Pakistani army with bolt rifles in the 1970s. Some of them were veterans, while others belonged to a new generation of fighters who were getting a crash course in guerrilla warfare.
A school dropout, the 30-year-old Baksh took up arms almost a decade ago. "It was difficult to continue my education after the tenth class and I could not find any employment," he said. The others were even less fortunate. They never went to school at all and got involved in the conflict at a very early age.
Javandan sat quietly in a corner, playing with his rifle. His neatly curled black beard and greenish eyes betrayed his Marri antecedents. He seemed to be the most experienced of the group. "We are all united now in the struggle," he said, finally breaking his long silence. "They are bombarding our areas and killing innocent people. We don't have any choice but to fight."
The BLA, whose name first emerged during the 1970s, originally comprised mainly the Marri tribesmen loyal to Nawab Khair Baksh. But later its composition changed with members of the Bugti and Mengal tribes joining its ranks. Today, the BLA boasts many members from an educated, middle-class background. The present conflict in Balochistan has, for the first time, united the educated Baloch with the tribesmen. "People feel that they won't get their rights through democratic and legal means," said Dr. Abdul Hayee Baluch, a leader of the Balochistan National Party.
It is the first time that the two largest Baloch tribes have set aside their differences to join hands in the struggle. The Bugtis sat on the fence when the Marris led the armed insurrection in the 1970s. More than 6000 Baloch and around 3000 soldiers were killed in the bloody conflict, which ended after General Zia-ul- Haq declared amnesty and allowed Khair Baksh to return home from his self-exile in Afghanistan. Thousands of Marri fighters received weapons training in Afghanistan during that period and they form the nucleus of the guerrilla forces now fighting in Balochistan.
Though the primary loyalties of the Baloch insurgents may lie with their tribal chiefs, they also appeared to be politically aware, religiously listening to the BBC Urdu service whenever possible. "What are you fighting for?" I asked. "We want the right of self-determination," they replied in unison. They were obviously well tutored.
The BLA resurfaced after the arrest of Khair Baksh in 2000, on charges of the murder of a high court judge. Initially the government dismissed the existence of the BLA, but now senior security officials concede that the group is behind the current insurgency. Intelligence agencies have accused the BLA of receiving financial aid and weapons from India. "We have evidence that the insurgents are getting help from India and some other countries which are not happy with China's involvement in the construction of Gwadar port," says a senior security official. Some intelligence officials claim that Indian intelligence agents were providing guerrilla training to the insurgents. These allegations, however, are rejected by Baloch leaders.
The BLA operates a website, "Baloch Voice," which carries reports of their actions. It has its own flag and national anthem. Its spokesmen, who identify themselves as Azad Baloch, Meerak Baloch and Col. Doda Baloch, regularly call newspaper offices in Quetta. The group is believed to have more than 5000 well trained men in its ranks. Though the identity of its leadership remains secret, it is reportedly led by Ballach, the younger son of Khair Baksh. A sitting member of the Balochistan assembly, Ballach, who is a graduate of Moscow University, is one of Pakistan's most wanted persons. His brother Meheryar, a former provincial minister now based in Dubai, is also part of the BLA leadership.
Pakistani security forces find themselves locked in a new and even fiercer battle in Balochistan. Baloch nationalists have led four insurgencies - in 1948, 1958-59, 1962-63 and 1973-77 - which were brutally suppressed by the army. Now a fifth is underway and this time the insurgents are much stronger. They are armed with more sophisticated weapons and possess a modern communications system. Can an already overstretched military deal with the increasingly volatile situation in Balochistan ?
Balochistan has remained relatively quiet for almost two decades and the return to civilian rule in 1988, brought the Baloch nationalists into the political mainstream. Although their major demands relating to natural gas royalty and allocation of resources remained unfulfilled, democracy, at least, provided the Baloch a sense of political participation. The tension started mounting a few years ago when the military government announced its intention to set up three new cantonments in Balochistan. The move was seen as a means to further tighten federal control over the province and the apprehension was not without basis. The problem of Balochistan has been chronic and is a direct consequence of an over-centralised system. The fresh deployment of army personnel further fuelled the discontent.
Under the current constitutional arrangement and the practices that have grown around it, economic resources and political power are concentrated with the federal government. The situation in Balochistan has been particularly worse, and even the maintenance of law and order is the responsibility of the federally controlled paramilitary troops. The master-servant relationship is much more stark in Balochistan than in any other province. The return of military rule has further aggravated the situation, and even the present pro-military provincial government wields no real power.
The federal government has completely ignored the long-standing demands of the nationalists to review the royalty formula on Sui gas, which had remained constant since 1952, and increase the province's share in the NFC award. Despite the government's claim of spending 120 billion rupees on mega-projects, there has not been much change in the lot of the locals, who remain the most deprived and backward section of society.
Despite such massive investment in the province, feelings of resentment against the centre run deep. There is an underlying fear that the benefits of these projects will not reach the local population and will be siphoned off to the Punjab instead. The nationalists have strong reservations on the construction of a new deep-sea port in Gwadar. They fear that the mega-project, which is being developed with the help of China, will lead to a massive influx of outside workers and turn the local population into a minority. The nationalists maintain that the project has been launched without taking the Baloch representatives into confidence. They contend that the Baloch would hardly benefit from Gwadar, or indeed any other mega-projects, as most of the jobs in the federally controlled organisations would go to the Punjab and other provinces according to the quota system. Meanwhile, land grabbing by the military further exacerbated the situation.
The Ormara naval base is another big project which has come up on the Makran coast, but Balochi nationalists maintain that the development of the second largest naval installation has not helped improve the socio-economic conditions of the local population. According to Baloch leaders, only 40 people in a population of more than ten thousand, have been given employment - and that too as daily wage workers. No educational institution has been established in Ormara town and electricity is available for only a few hours a day. Similarly, the Bugtis complain that they too are not given jobs at the Sui gas plant.
It is ironic that Balochistan, which fulfils 50 per cent of Pakistan's gas requirement and is rich in mineral resources, finds it difficult to pay the salaries of its employees. Balochistan has sought a loan of around 24 billion rupees from the Asian Development Bank at the direction of the federal government, to service foreign and federal debts amounting to 44 billion rupees. Due to its extreme financial crisis, its overdraft with the State Bank has gone up to14 billion rupees. Apart from debt-servicing foreign and federal loans, the Balochistan government pays 200 million rupees per month to the State Bank in interest for the overdraft. While President Musharraf has admitted that the province has faced injustice in the distribution of resources, a long-term solution to the problem has yet to be found.
The government often accuses Baloch tribal chiefs of blackmailing the centre and opposing development work in the area. Though this may be true to some extent, interestingly enough, the majority of the chieftains, particularly the most retrogressive ones, have always sided with the establishment. And while corruption is endemic, again it is the establishment itself that is responsible. Patronage and bribes are commonly used establishment tools to buy loyalties of corrupt politicians and perpetuate their own control.
The situation exploded last year when Bugti tribesmen, protesting against the rape of Dr. Shazia Khalid in the high-security PPL residential compound guarded by the army's elite Defence Security Group, blew up the gas installations at Sui, disrupting gas supply to the Punjab and other parts of the country for several weeks. The subsequent armed clashes between Bugtis and the security forces resulted in scores of deaths. The stand-off ended after both sides agreed to pull back from their positions and the federal government gave an assurance to implement the Senate Committee Report on Balochistan. But the promise never materialised.
Musharraf and the military leadership were not prepared to concede to Balochistan's genuine economic and political demands. Instead of addressing the Baloch grievances politically and through negotiations, the military-led government has resorted to greater use of force. Musharraf threw fuel on the fire last year when he declared : "Don't push us. It isn't the 1970s when you can hit and run and hide in the mountains. This time you won't even know what hit you." The comment provoked a strong reaction from the Baloch leaders who warned the army not to create a 1971-like situation which led to the disintegration of the country.
Sporadic incidents of violence continued after the Sui incident, but the situation flared up last month after the insurgents launched a series of rocket attacks during President Musharraf's visit to a newly constructed army garrison in Kohlu. According to informed sources, some of the shells fell less than a 100 yards from Musharraf. It was a close call. The next day a rocket hit an army helicopter carrying the Inspector General , Frontier Corps, Maj Gen Shaukat Zamir Dar, and his deputy, Brigadier Saleem Nawaz.
Following those incidents, security forces mounted a massive operation in the Marri area using air force jets and helicopter gunships. The military authorities claimed the offensive was directed against "miscreants" and aimed at destroying "terrorist camps," but many women and children were are also reportedly killed in the bombings. Senator Sanaullah Baloch alleged that security forces used poisonous gases against the people. According to official and unofficial sources, the security forces also suffered huge casualties during the operation in the Marri area.
The ongoing operation has now been extended to many other areas and thousands of paramilitary and regular troops with heavy machine-guns and artillery have been moved into the Bugti areas.
Dera Bugti looks like a town under siege, with heavily armed paramilitary troops positioned on the surrounding hills and check posts set up at the entry points. All the posts vacated by Bugti tribesmen after the March agreement have now been occupied by army troops. Heavy artillery guns and armoured cars are deployed all along the roads leading from Sui to Dera Bugti.
"It is a war now," declared Akbar Bugti, who is confined to his bullet-ridden fort. A mortar attack in March had left a huge crater on the roof of his living room and 60 of his tribesmen were killed in that attack. He himself narrowly escaped death, when a splinter brushed past his head. Heavily armed tribesmen, with flowing beards and huge turbans coiled around their heads, guard the place. Some of them have taken up positions in the bunkers around the fort.
The white-bearded charismatic tribal chieftain, who is in his late '70s, accused the government of colonising Balochistan. "We are fighting for the control of our national wealth and for our political rights," he said. The Bugti tribe owns the land which contains Pakistan's largest natural gas fields. But the majority of the tribesmen live in abject poverty, with no employment or basic health and education facilities. " We are not scared and will fight back," he warned, sounding bitter over the government's backtracking on last year's agreement. "The troops sneaked in under the cover of darkness, into positions which we had vacated under the agreement. They do not want peace. They are mistaken if they think they are superior and can eliminate us." His grandson is being accused by military authorities of being involved in the bombing incidents in Karachi and Balochistan.
The conflict has already taken a huge economic and political toll. Billions of rupees are being spent on the establishment of cantonments and the deployment of troops. However, the use of brute force has only aggravated the situation. Hundreds of people have been killed in this war, which seems to have no end in sight. Several government soldiers have been killed over the past few weeks as the insurgents intensified attacks on security forces, key economic and government installations and railway tracks.
Bugti warned that the Baloch were much better prepared to fight the army now. "Musharraf is right that this is not 1970. He will not know what has hit him," he laughed. Heavy fighting broke out as we left Dera Bugti.

Cover Story
"Accept us as equal federating units or we will try to get rid of you"
-Sanaullah Baloch Senator (BNP)

http://www.newsline.com.pk/NewsJan2006/cover2jan2006.htm

By Naveed Ahmad

Q: How do you characterise the situation in Balochistan today?
A: The situation is getting worse in Balochistan because the military has moved three brigades into District Kohlu and Dera Bugti. Twenty-one fighter jets flying from Sibi, Jacobabad and Loralai are involved in carpet bombing there. They have also used poison and phosphorus gases without declaring a particular target. Some 180 deaths have been caused by the bombing.
The military is denying access in the region to our political workers and even the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. However, when the military permitted the HRCP to visit the affected districts, the bombing was stopped to give a different image. So far, some 122 children have died; most of them belong to the nomad villagers who live in tents but keep migrating. Unfortunately, wherever the military sees some tents, they take these to be militant camps.
At the same time, the Frontier Corps has virtually surrounded Makran region. Some 450 people have been arrested from Turbat district. Chaghi, Kharan and the central districts of Balochistan are tense and face similar oppression. The government is deliberately trying to instigate the people of Balochistan.

Q: What is the reason behind this showdown with the government?
A: We do not accept the ruling military junta. We want to live in the country in a democratic manner as a federating unit instead of becoming a colony of Islamabad. We see Islamabad as another East India Company which had spread a network of roads, railway lines and tunnels to meet its objectives. Islamabad is working in a similar fashion to annex the natural assets of the Baloch people.
First of all, Islamabad exploited our natural gas resources and then used the province's strategic location for testing nuclear devices and established cantonments but no development work was carried out.

Q: How do you want to deal with the East India Company
A: Decisive moments come in the life of every nation. So far we have been adopting democratic and peaceful means but with little success. Khuda Baksh Marri and Attaullah Mengal have tried their best to seek the rights of the province through democratic institutions and being part of the government. I have been part of parliament for the past nine years and these institutions have become debating societies. The parliament has failed to deliver owing to a variety of factors. There are not many choices: either accept us as equal federating units or we will try to get rid of you, no matter what the cost.

Q: But there are differences amongst the Baloch leaders.
A: For the rights of Balochistan, all the leaders have come together and the old differences cannot overshadow the situation.
We have a four-party Baloch Ittehad on the lines of the PLO and the Hurriyet Conference. No doubt there are minor differences amongst the four parties about the alliance's constitution, yet we have chosen to stay together for a larger cause. Baloch leaders are also part of ARD and PONM at the national level.

Q: What have Baloch leaders contributed when they governed the province?
A: From the 1948 accession to Pakistan till today, the Baloch nationalists have ruled for only 37 months i.e. the nine-month rule of Attaullah Mengal, a year of Akhtar Mengal and 16 months of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti. During Attaullah Mengal's term, the province's first university, medical college and board of secondary education were set up. The same NAP government established the first industrial city of the province, in Hub. The government was dissolved after nine months because they were doing so much for the people. Let's come to Akbar Khan Bugti's rule of 18 months, the Benazir government could not agree with him on the rights of the province. Then Nawaz Sharif made a commitment with his ally Akhtar Mengal that after the passage of the 13th amendment, he would announce a mega constitutional package on provincial autonomy. Unfortunately, he could not come up with a package after 14 months despite forming committees and debating the matter for so long. None of the Baloch leaders have been allowed to rule the province for more than 18 months. Since 1948, 23 governors have been appointed in Balochistan, only 10 of them belonged to the province while the remaining were outsiders. General Rahim-ud-Din was in the chair for nine years in the Zia era.

Q: You don't seem to accept the recent development packages announced by the Musharraf regime.
A: First of all, let me make it clear here that General Musharraf has not announced any package for Balochistan. It's all propaganda and drama. China and Pakistan are collaborating to build the Gwadar port and no Baloch consent was sought before making the deal with the Chinese people. There is no development project in Kohlu as 450 million rupees have been earmarked for the establishment of a cantonment there and another 450 million for a road to a gas well. The remaining amount in the so- called package was announced some nine years ago for the Sibi and Dera Murad Jamali road. The money has never been released. From lack of clean drinking water to other amenities of life, everything is missing in the district.
The Baloch hatred against the Musharraf regime is extremely high because on September 23, 2003, the provincial assembly passed a resolution against the construction of cantonments. In utter disregard of the unanimous resolution of the assembly, he flies into Kohlu to inaugurate a cantonment on December 14, 2005.
Please acknowledge that the Baloch petroleum resources have brought prosperity for the domestic gas consumers, private sector and industry. The fertiliser industry and domestic consumers are being given a subsidy worth 20 billion rupees every year. Balochistan deserves a representative government without any involvement of the intelligence agencies such as the ISI. The sitting government is involved in the worst kind of corruption and over the past three years, it has resorted to an overdraft of 14 billion rupees.

Q: The government accuses the Baloch nationalists of politicising development issues and keeping the people backward to serve the sardars' interests. Why do you oppose a network of roads, railway tracks and other necessary infrastructure?
A: This is a grave misconception which has been deliberately created by the military and intelligence agencies. Before establishing Gwadar port, we have demanded the setting up of a marine biological institute and a mineral development research institute near Saindak to train the local people. Similarly we have demanded the establishment of an arid agriculture research institute to tap the enormous potential of the province.
Some 35,000 paramilitary troops are stationed in Balochistan and each individual costs roughly 15000 rupees a month while there are 12000 teachers with an average monthly expenditure of 6000 rupees each. We want the government to abolish the FC and instead raise an army of teachers. I can bet no one would oppose the opening of universities and schools in Balochistan.

Q: It is said that the Baloch nationalist leadership belongs to the sardars and nawabs and is meant to protect their interests
A: I don't agree with such critics. I belong to a middle class family which was never involved in politics and parliament. Similarly, Rauf Mengal is the son of a small shopkeeper. All the representatives from the nationalist parties belong to the middle class. Even in Akbar Khan Bugti's party, Senator Amanullah Karnani comes from a very poor family.

Q: How do you look at the acts of sabotage and militancy on the part of the Baloch Liberation Army or Baloch Liberation Front?
A: There is no doubt that the BLA or BLF enjoy enormous acceptance and respect amongst the common Baloch people. They have internationalised the Balochistan cause which we (the politicians) have failed to do. The BLA or BLF is targeting locations which were illegal and caused inconvenience to the people. There were 600 illegal checkposts of the paramilitary force where officers and JCOs alike were minting money from innocent people. They were posted on border routes and we have ties across the border so billions of rupees were being minted by the paramilitary forces. The BLA attacked only those checkposts which were harming the common people.
The militants have targeted only those railway tracks and pipelines which were used to suck up our petroleum and mineral resources but the due royalty was never paid to the people. The government has been violating the constitution's article 158 and neither the judiciary nor the establishment have tried to get the royalty rights implemented. Naturally, there was a vacuum for a force which could stop an unconstitutional thing from happening. That is why the BLA or BLF enjoy a better level of respect than the Baloch political parties. Being a public representative, I cannot say that they are wrong. The first blunder was committed by the government by deploying the troops and giving a free hand to the ISI and other intelligence organs.
The next blunder was linking up of a cantonment with a mega project, thus giving birth to a perception that the military would come along to annex the resources and projects. The military is buying land and erecting housing schemes wherever there is a mega project or a vital natural resource. The BLA and BLF activists are not crazy. They are highly educated young people who are fully aware of the problems faced by their people.

Q: Do you get any kind of support from India which has two consulates close to the Balochistan border, in Iran?
A: This is totally untrue. No one has better relations with India than General Pervez Musharraf himself. The best chance for India to intervene was in 1973 when a full blown insurgency was underway. The fact is that the Baloch movement is totally indigenous, motivated by political frustration, fuelled by Islamabad's decades of indifference. Such allegations are being levelled to create an excuse for a military operation.
Such movements take birth everywhere due to sheer inequalities. Pakistan should learn a lesson from Yugoslavia and Indonesia. The country is heading towards Balkanisation. Indonesia took a wise step after a series of blunders in East Timor and with Finnish mediation, the Indonesian government has agreed to give provincial autonomy to the Aceh freedom fighters. The agreement signed in Finland between the Aceh movement and the Indonesian government is greatly similar to what we demand from Islamabad.

Q: There is an energy and water crisis looming over the country, so why do you oppose the construction of the Kalabagh Dam?
A: As long as Sindh and NWFP don't accept it, Balochistan will never accept the controversial mega dam. If Sindh is converted into a desert and its socio-economic situation worsens, then Balochistan would not be able to escape from its impact. We get six per cent water from Sindh for some of our irrigated lands.
There is no doubt that Pakistan would be an energy-starved country after 2010 but we would not let her explore more resources in the province through the use of force. The Baloch people would not even spare the trilateral pipeline if the excesses do not come to an end. Pakistan is dependent on Sindh and Balochistan for energy resources as 96 per cent of gas production comes from these two provinces but both are deprived of its benefits. There is a huge difference in gas prices in Balochistan and Punjab.

Q: What is the future of the movement against Kalabagh Dam?
A:I don't think Islamabad is serious about building the dam. The issue was only raised to overshadow a military operation in Balochistan.

Q: What are the prospects for a political dialogue?
A:The parliamentary committee failed to deliver, despite a sincere dialogue over 70 days. Mushahid Hussain started inviting the land mafia people to committee meetings, which was strongly opposed by the Baloch leadership. He also tried to create a Baloch-Pashtun divide.
Senator Mushahid developed mistrust amongst the committee members and we lost confidence in him. Meanwhile, there was a blast in Quetta which claimed some lives. The government used it as an excuse to launch a military operation and 200 to 250 people were arrested in just one night. At this point we resigned from the committee.
Today, 490 days have passed and the committee report has yet to be presented and implemented. As usual, the committee politics is being used to suppress resentment instead of addressing it. Now whosoever from the Baloch side becomes party to the dialogue would lose his credibility. The issues have been identified and the government should have the political will to correct its blunders.

sana baloch is my best personality

<b>Gas rig, water pipeline destroyed in rocket attacks</b>


By Our Staff Correspondent

QUETTA, Jan 14: A rig was destroyed and main pipeline supplying water to the gas purification plant was blown up in two rocket attacks at Pir Koh gas field on Saturday night.

According to sources,<b> unidentified assailants fired rockets at the gas field that landed and exploded near gas well No 10, destroying the rig installed at the well.</b>

“Armed tribesmen fired 16 rockets at the gas well,” Dera Bugti DCO Abdul Samad Lasi said, adding that the gas well was also damaged in the attack.

In another incident, armed men blew up main pipeline of water supply, suspending the supply to the gas purification plant.

<b>“Armed men planted explosive martial around the pipeline and blew it up in the Pathar Nullah area,</b>” official sources said.

Sources said that if water supply was not immediately restored, the gas purification plant might be shut down and that would affect gas supply from the gas field.

Sources said that after the attack, Frontier Constabulary personnel retaliated and fired rockets and mortar shells towards the positions of the attackers on which they escaped.

Meanwhile, miscreants fired at least four rockets at the officers’ mess of the Oil and Gas Development Corporation in an adjacent area after brief intervals.

However, none of the rockets could hit the target, sources said, adding that no causality was reported in the rocket attacks.

<b>Another operation in Marri area: 25 civilians killed, claims MPA</b>


By Our Staff Correspondent

QUETTA, Jan 14: <b>Paramilitary forces on Saturday launched another operation in the Marri area using helicopter gunships and heavy weapons while unidentified people fired rockets at a Frontier Corps camp in Kohlu, reports said.</b>

Official sources said that security forces were taking action against outlaws’ hideouts and camps in different parts of the Kohlu and Dera Bugti districts.

“FC troops have targeted outlaws’ camps at Bhambhoor top in Marri area,” sources said and added that helicopter gunships were taking part in the action.

However, nationalist leader Mir Balach Khan Marri, a member of the Balochistan Assembly, claimed that security forces had been lobbing mortars and rockets at the small township of Kahan for the last two days in which 25 people, mostly women and children, had been killed and several others injured.

<b>“Kahan town witnessed heavy shelling and mortar attacks the whole day on Saturday. My house was also targeted and has been badly damaged,”</b> he told Dawn over telephone from the troubled area.

He said the residents of Kahan and other areas had left their houses and moved to safe places.

“Entire town is empty but mortar and rocket lobbing continues from the FC Qila,” Mir Balach said and added that over 2,000 rockets and mortars had been fired by security forces.

An FC spokesman denied bombardment and use of fighters in the Marri area and said that security forces had not targeted Kahan, Sanglan and Kach towns.

“All claims regarding bombing townships is baseless and wrong,” he said and added that the FC troops were taking action only against outlaws’ camps and their hideouts.

He also denied casualties in the Kahan township.

“Paramilitary forces were taking action against camps set up in the mountains,” the spokesman said and added that ‘saboteurs had fired eight rockets at the FC base camps in Kohlu and Babar Tak area of the Harnai tehsil on Saturday morning. Four rockets landed and exploded near the FC camp in Kohlu town, he said.

<b>No military action in Balochistan, says govt</b>
<span style="font-size:large;">TYPICAL PAKISTANI LIE</span>

ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: An interior ministry spokesman has said that media reports about a military operation in Balochistan false and misleading.

The spokesman said after December 14 rocket attacks by saboteurs in Kohlu during the visit of President Musharraf and an attack on the subsequent day, injuring the inspector-general of the Frontier Corps and other senior officials, the government had confirmed the location of certain ‘fugitive’ camps and then a targeted action was undertaken by the FC.

In that punitive drive against the saboteurs, the spokesman claimed, care was taken to ensure that no innocent person was targeted.

The spokesman said the actions taken against various criminal dens where the armed gangs were hiding with caches of arms and ammunition had achieved tangible success.

He said the saboteurs at the behest of certain elements were trying to hinder government efforts to carry out development in the remote areas of Balochistan.

He reiterated that on no account would the saboteurs be allowed to succeed in their nefarious designs which were against socio-economic uplift of the people of the area.

The FC, as per its mandate and assigned role of law enforcement, would continue to take punitive action if development efforts were hindered or any national asset was threatened, the spokesman concluded. —-APP

No army operation in Balochistan, claims minister

ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: Minister for Defence Production Habibullah Warraich has said that no military operation was being carried out in Balochistan. “After assurances from President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz that no operation was going on in Balochistan, the baseless propaganda must come to an end,” the minister said in a statement on Saturday.

Mr Warraich said it was a targeted action against people disturbing the peace of the province and the government had no plans for any operation in the province even in future.

The government, he said, believed in resolving problems amicably. However, anti-social elements and their supporters could not be allowed to create law and order situation, he said, adding that their hideouts would be destroyed.

“The government cannot tolerate attacks on security forces and the killers will be chased and brought to justice,” he added.

Mr Warraich said the government could not allow any foreigner to use Pakistani soil for attacking other countries and those who were instigating locals to take up arms would be dealt with severely.

He said the government has taken strong exception to the foreign aid being provided to saboteurs in the form of arms and ammunition and efforts were being made to block all routes through which arms were smuggled into Balochistan.

“Pakistan is a peaceful country. People living here are also peaceful and those who try to give bad name to Pakistan can never be forgiven,” the minister said.

He said Pakistan would be purged of all unlawful activities and would be made the cradle of peace from Balochistan to Waziristan so that every Pakistani could lead a secure life.—APP

www.dawn.com/2006/01/15/index.htm


HRCP sees custodial killings in Bugti area


By Our Correspondent

QUETTA, Jan 14: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Balochistan chapter, has said its visiting team, led by Asma Jahangir, has witnessed serious violation of human rights by security forces in Dera Bugti (where security forces are fighting tribal insurgents).

The commission says that information its team has collected reveals that 53 civilians have been killed and 132 injured during an outbreak of hostilities in the remote area from last week of December till January 8.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Saturday, the vice-chairman of the HRCP, Balochistan chapter, Malik Zahoor Shahwani, said: “No law permits custodial killing and no law-enforcement agency is above the law and entitled to award death sentence to citizens who are in their custody.”

He said that the government should ‘act according to constitutional requirements and uphold rule of law’ to ensure protection of fundamental rights of the people.

If those arrested in Dera Bugti were involved in illegal activities, Mr Shahwani added, they should be presented before courts for trial.

He said that a war like situation existed in Dera Bugti where ‘government offices are empty, the district coordination officer has shifted his office to Sui, schools are not functioning and vehicles not plying and the bazaar has been closed.’

“It is the responsibility of the government to initiate dialogue process to peacefully resolve the issue to restore normalcy in the area,” he said.

The HRCP official also asked the government to establish camps for provision of food to those residents of Dera Bugti who have migrated to safe areas.

He said that a majority of residents of Dera Bugti town had migrated as only two persons out of 250 members of the local Hindu community were still living in the town.

He claimed to have seen regular troops taking positions on both sides of mountains along the 35-km route between Sui and Dera Bugti town.

Rabbani asks govt to halt operation in Balochistan


By Our Reporter

ISLAMABAD Jan 14: Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani has asked the government to halt military operation in Balochistan immediately. In a statement issued here on Saturday, Senator Rabbani said the regime was pitting provinces against one another which would have disastrous consequences for the federation.

“History teaches us that political issues can be resolved only through a political dialogue and not by force. The rulers must heed this lesson of history before they are taught it the hard way.

“The party calls for an immediate end to the ongoing military operation in the province and demands that political forces should be taken into confidence to address the political issues,” the PPP deputy secretary-general said and called upon the government to stop playing with fire.

As stated by the PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto, “violence in Balochistan is a direct consequence of the imposition of military rule in the country. Every military rule in the country has spawned secessionist tendencies and Musharraf regime is no exception,” Mr Rabbani said.

Ayub dictatorship led to alienation of East Pakistan and creation of Bangladesh. Gen Yahya Khan’s dictatorship resulted in the Baloch uprising, which the subsequent PPP government had to deal with. After the hanging of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Sindh was ready to secede, but the PPP came to the rescue of the federation.

“General Musharraf’s military dictatorship has resulted in military operation in Waziristan, rocket and missile attacks on civilians in Bajaur allegedly by foreign forces, mass discontent and uprising in Sindh and NWFP over the KBD and now an insurgency in Balochistan,” the PPP leader said.

Continuing the use of force, he said, would only further alienate the people of Balochistan and pit federating units against one another.

“As a result of the ill conceived policies of the regime that are designed only to perpetuate itself in power the country is faced with grave political crisis that has threatened the integrity of the federation.

“It is most worrying that the Musharraf regime has not taken any note of the grave incident of the killing of over two dozen people in Bajaur,” Mr Rabbani said.

Balochistan’s development a top priority, says Aziz


By Our Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that uplift of Balochistan is a major priority of his government. Mr Aziz was talking to Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmad Ghani, who called on him at Prime Minister’s House on Saturday. The prime minister said that all ongoing projects should be completed within the specified time.

He told the governor to make sure that the benefits of development reach the common man. The prime minister assured Mr Ghani that the federal government would provide more resources to the province soon.

Mr Aziz said: “We want development in Balochistan in a peaceful and secure atmosphere. Some elements are trying to create unrest in the province, but Pakistan’s security is dear to us.”

He said the country would be protected at all costs.

The governor briefed the prime minister about the law and order situation in the province and work progress on mega development projects.

The governor praised the prime minister for allocating Rs2.5 billion for the development of the province.

ANP seeks end to use of force in Balochistan: Need for dialogue stressed


By Our Correspondent

PESHAWAR, Jan 14: The Awami National Party has urged the federal government to stop use of force against civilian population in Balochistan and start dialogue to avert bloodshed. In a statement issued to the press on Saturday, ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan expressed concern over fresh military action in the province.

He said some Baloch leaders had informed him on telephone that the military had last night carried out shelling from aeroplanes over the Kahan area inhabited by the Mari tribe. Before this, he said, the government had targeted the Bugti tribe.

The government’s efforts to resolve the crisis through use of force would never meet with success, he said, adding that there was a dire need to hold dialogue with Baloch tribes to hammer out a political and durable solution to the lingering crisis.

Mr Khan said that use of force for the solution of political problems had never been of any utility in the past and the result would be no different this time around also.

He said military involvement in the resolution of political problems had always multiplied the problems. Air strikes and planting of landmines against civilians could cause irreparable losses to the people as well as the government, he added.

The ANP chief said the area was under army’s siege and relief agencies, including International Committee of the Red Cross, had no access to the injured people. Not only this, the activists of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan were not being allowed to take an eyewitness account of the matter.

Many families had been rendered homeless whereas the wounded needed medical assistance which was not forthcoming, he deplored.

The ANP, he said, had always opposed the element of violence in politics and stressed political dialogue to solve problems and avoid bloodshed.

He said the military’s involvement in East Pakistan had created a disdain among the people against the federal government and the army.

Mr Khan recalled that the world community ultimately took the path of negotiations for the solution of the Afghanistan conflict after 25 years of warfare in that country had already killed thousands of people.

He appealed to the democratic forces in the country to stand up against the military operation in Balochistan.

Call for unity against crackdown, KBD


By Our Correspondent

QUETTA, Jan 14: The Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) has urged political parties to take a united stand against the military operation in Kohlu and Dera Bugti, and the controversial Kalabagh dam Speaking at a public meeting in Pishin Bazaar on Saturday, party speakers announced that Pukhtuns would fully support the Baloch in their struggle against usurpers to get the smaller nationalities rid of the influence of Punjab.

Party’s deputy chairman Abdur Rahim Mandokhel presided over the meeting. Senators Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai and Raza Muhammad Raza also spoke on the occasion.

Mr Rahim Mandokhel denounced the killing of civilians by security forces in Kohlu and Dera Bugti areas. Resisting forces were fighting against oppressors to protect the resources and rights of the Baloch people.

He said Pukhtuns would not leave the Baloch alone at this critical juncture when they were facing state assaults on innocent people.

The PMAP leader said custodial killings, shelling and air strikes on the civilians was a grave human rights violation. He demanded that the military should end operation in Kohlu and Dera Bugti, and resolve the issue politically instead of violence.

He said it was the tragedy of the nation that autocratic rulers did not realize the gravity of situation in the country. Instead of talks, they were using force in Balochistan to resolve issues, he added.

The rulers, he said, wanted to build the controversial Kalabagh dam in violation of the aspirations of Pukhtuns, Sindhis and Balochs.

He said the Kalabagh dam was the issue of life and death for Pukhtuns. On the one hand Punjab wanted to destroy the fertile lands of Pukhtuns by constructing the dam while on the other hand was trying to own the Pukhtun River.

He said Pukhtuns would under no circumstances allow the military dictator to go ahead with anti-Pukhtun dam.

Mr Mandokhel criticized the introduction of police system in Balochistan and said the abolition of levies was a conspiracy to disturb the peaceful life of Pukhtun and Baloch tribes.

He stressed political groups to join hands to save the levies system.

He urged the government to implement the Balochistan assembly resolution against the elimination of Piralizai refugee camp and stated that the Afghan refugees had repatriated to Afghanistan and criminals were using the camp as their den.

Govt’s writ to be enforced in Dera Bugti, says official

DERA BUGTI, Jan 14: Bhambhor Rifles Commandant Col Furqan has said that writ of the government will be enforced in Dera Bugti and other ‘free zones’ in Balochistan ‘at any cost’. Talking to journalists here on Friday, he said that Dera Bugti was a haven for all kind of criminals who roamed freely ‘within its boundaries’ and the ‘private army’ of Nawab Akbar Bugti was challenging the writ of law and government.

He said that 25 camps of saboteurs existed in the region but a majority had been dismantled.

He said that an offer had been made to Nawab Bugti to hand over his heavy weapons to the army and disband his private army but it had been rejected by the headstrong nawab.

He said that the ‘private army’ of Mr Bugti possessed more sophisticated arms than those of the Pakistan army.

He justified the siege to Dera Bugti, saying it was aimed at preventing infiltration of defeated elements from Kohlu into the area. He said that saboteurs had been restoring to indiscriminate rocket firing, most of which had landed in residential areas of innocent Baloch people.

Defending the establishment of Frontier Constabulary posts, he said that they had been established in the region since 1977 and not during the Musharraf tenure as was being wrongly propagated.

He blamed the tribal chiefs for being an impediment to development of their regions and Balochistan but said that the government was committed to developing the province.

He denied that there had been any restriction on the movement of items of daily use or people of the beleaguered region. He claimed that those present in the region were members of the private army as common people had migrated to safe places.

He said that Nawab Bugti had kept the members of his tribe hostages. “Anybody who dared to lodge a complaint to police was ‘fined’ Rs50, 000 and detained in a ‘private jail,’ he said.

Schools in the region had been converted into fugitive camps, he added. “There are 650 ghost schools in the region, salaries for which are being collected with impunity,” he added.—Online

KARACHI: PPP calls for halt to army operation


By Our Reporter

KARACHI, Jan 14: Deploring the military operation and killing of innocent people in Balochistan, the Pakistan People’s Party on Saturday demanded an immediate halt to such activities which, it said, “had pushed the country into an intensive care unit” and were akin to the policies which the rulers had pursued in the case of the former East Pakistan.

Secretary-General of the PPP Sindh, Nafees Siddiqui made this statement while addressing a news conference at the Karachi Press Club. Waqar Mehdi, Rashid Rabbani, Rafiq Engineer (MPA) and Raheel Iqbal were also present.

Mr Siddiqui said the rulers had not yet decided about the kind of a political dispensation and constitution to be enforced in the country. Their whole focus was on extending the ‘one-man rule’ which was not in the interest of people, he said.

He rejected the regime’s claim about prosperity and progress, and observed that due to the government’s wrong policies, the country was among the three most illiterate countries.

Mr Siddiqui equated the Balochistan situation with the one that had prevailed before fall of East Pakistan due to denial of rights to people of that wing.

He strongly deplored the killings on Eid day in Balochistan, saying that they had been carried out in a ‘custodial killings’ manner as people had been dragged out of their homes and eliminated.

Contesting the government’s claim of having acted against terrorists in Dera Bugti, and asked why there were more children and women among the dead. He said that two brigades of army, paramilitary troops and levies were involved in the operation in which helicopter gunships were also being used.

He pointed out that East Pakistan had been forced to the point of alienation by Ayub Khan, and alleged that Gen Musharraf was pushing Balochistan and other provinces in the same direction.

On Kalabagh dam issue, he said it was not an issue between Sindh and Punjab, but a problem that concerned the whole of Pakistan.

He said that those who were claiming that the PPP’s Sindh and Punjab chapters had different positions on the KBD were misleading people. Those who were advancing such argument were similar to those who supported the government in its policy of denying the East Pakistanis their due rights.

Mr Siddiqui said that a rally against Balochistan operation and KBD project would be held in Hyderabad on Jan 18. It would be followed by a similar rally in Hala where top brass of the Anti-Greater Thar Canal and Anti-Kalabagh Dam Action Committee would assemble.

He declared that Gen Musharraf would not be allowed to impose KBD, and suggested that the issue be left up to the next elected government. He also did not agree with a questioner that the opposition should go to the Supreme Court in this regard.

Asked why he was silent on bombings in some areas of the NWFP, Mr Siddiqui said the PPP was against bombing anywhere in the country. But since the focus was on Balochistan and KBD, it was not mentioned.


ARD postpones Balochistan rally

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
LAHORE -The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) has postponed its Balochistan rally yet again allegedly under Government’s pressure.
The alliance had announced to hold it on January 16 (tomorrow) at Lahore to express solidarity with the Baloch people in the backdrop of alleged military operation in Balochistan.
While talking to The Nation from Peshawar, ARD Secretary General, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said that the rally has been postponed owing to sudden departure of ARD Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim to India. He said that a new date for the event would be announced later after Makhdoom’s return to the country.
It may be noted that this is for the second time that ARD has postponed its rally. Earlier, it had announced to hold it on January 8, but the same had to be postponed following imposition of section 144 in the City. The leadership then fixed January 16 as the new date for the event, but this time again it had to postpone it under the pretext of Makhdoom’s absence from the country.
Some insiders claimed that besides pressure from the Government’s side, internal differences among the alliance’s leadership also led to postponement of the rally.
The Government was determined not to allow the alliance to hold the rally, but District Nazim Lahore, Mian Amer Mahmood, had shown some flexibility that ARD may be allowed to stage it at some public place instead of the busy route.

‘People of Balochistan ultimate beneficiaries of Gwadar port’

QUETTA (APP)-Balochistan Minister for Gwadar Development Authority (GDA), Syed Sher Jan Baloch has said the ultimate beneficiaries of Gwadar port will be people of Balochistan which is amply clear alone from the fact that the federal government is establishing Gwadar Institute of Technology at a cost of Rs. 198.18 millions to impart marine education to local youths.
Talking to this news agency here Saturday, the Minister said the project is a joint venture of Pakistan and Chinese governments. “China will provide Rs. 32 million as an aid for the project while rest of the expenditures will be met by the Pakistan government”, he said. He said the institute of technology will have the capacity to enroll maximum 80 students in an academic year who will be taught specific subjects including preservation and processing of sea food. “Balochistan Education Department will implement the scheme and it has sent a summary to Planning and Development department for provision of funds after completing the initial survey”, he said He said the teaching staff will be appointed and the students will be given admissions on purely merit basis and no political influence will be accepted in this regard. He said the federal government will provide funds to run the institute besides bearing its construction cost.

www.nation.com.pk/daily/jan-2006/15/bnews10.php


VIEW: Balochistan — the way forward —Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi

A dialogue should be initiated with the political leaders in Balochistan on contentious issues like mega development projects, construction of army cantonments and greater provincial autonomy. However, dialogue may not be possible until the military confrontation in the province is defused. Moreover, the provincial government and army/intelligence personnel are not suitable for conducting such a dialogue

The federal government can temporarily rely on the state’s coercive apparatus for asserting its authority in the troubled areas of Balochistan. However, this method is not expected to produce an enduring solution to the problem. Rather, the longer the present armed conflict continues the more difficult it will for the two sides — the federal government and the dissident elements — to reach a negotiated settlement.

The root causes of the Balochistan problem are political and economic and pre-date the Musharraf regime. Federal governments often neglected the province and failed to address its problems. When General Pervez Musharraf assumed power in October 1999, he promised to, among other things, work towards “strengthening the federation, removing inter-provincial disharmony and restoring national cohesion”.

Six years later, the promise remains unfulfilled. The federal government is using regular troops and paramilitary forces in parts of Balochistan and South and North Waziristan, adjacent to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, supposedly for “strengthening the federation”. On top of these developments President Pervez Musharraf’s advocacy of the Kalabagh Dam has caused resentment in Sindh and the NWFP. Balochistan also opposes the dam. These developments have seriously strained centre-province relations and undermined inter-provincial interaction.

The situation in Balochistan did not deteriorate in a day. The first sign of trouble was visible when the federal government unilaterally decided to launch mega development projects and build new army cantonments in the province without taking into account local and provincial sensitivities. Local objections to the federal projects were ignored or dealt with, with a military mindset.

The federal government was so convinced of the righteousness of its development agenda that it brushed aside the objections raised by several political leaders as excuses for protecting vested interests. It applied the military ethos of unity of command and centralisation to directly manage development in Balochistan. The federal government co-opted a section of the political elite in the province that supported the federal agenda. At the same time, it excluded those who questioned the government policies.

The narrow and selective ‘consensus’ was designed to prove that federal policies enjoyed support in the province and that only isolated and self-centred political activists and tribal leaders were opposed to the development work.

The co-opted elite in Balochistan (the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and the provincial government) failed to neutralise opposition to the development work for two major reasons. First, the provincial government had little, if any, role in the planning and management of the new development projects. They felt awkward defending the policies handed down by Islamabad, which did not address local concerns and anxieties. The provincial government could not assuage these anxieties because it did not have control over the projects.

Second, the financial problems of the provincial government convinced many in the ruling PML that the province must have financial and administrative autonomy to generate more resources and pursue a more participatory approach for addressing poverty and underdevelopment. They quietly agreed with the issues raised by the opposition but disagreed with their strategies. This state of mind weakened the role of the co-opted leaders.

The policy of excluding the dissenting leaders caused strains in provincial politics. They raised these issues in the provincial assembly and the parliament as well as the media. But, the federal government remained inflexible about accommodating local concerns over the mega development projects, although it offered economic assistance to the provincial government to sustain itself and pursue some development work.

It ignored the demands for protecting Baloch interests in the development projects and granting autonomy to the province so that it should have greater control of its natural resources.

Having lost faith in the ability of the existing political arrangements, the dissenting hardliners drifted towards violence, targeting the symbols of state authority. The security situation deteriorated gradually with bomb blasts and rocket firing incidents and periodic damage to the telephone network, electricity transmission lines and gas pipelines.

At times, bombs were placed at crowded spots in cities, causing loss of life and property. Such incidents began in 2003 and their frequency increased in late 2004 and the first six months of 2005.

The January 2005 trouble in the Sui area was the first major conflict between the tribal elements and the law enforcement authorities. The parliamentary committee on Balochistan became active and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain approached Nawab Akbar Bugti to defuse the situation. This engendered the hope that a durable solution would be evolved through political means.

The sub-committee headed by Mushahid Hussain suggested various options. However, the federal government has not so far implemented its recommendations. This has created the impression that the federal government is not serious about political accommodation.

The latest phase of violence has taken a serious turn because the military operation has been extended beyond the Kohlu area where incidents in mid-December 2005 triggered the on-going military action. Though official circles are emphasising that military action is limited to the dissidents’ camps and the tribesmen attacking government installations or the troops, non-official and independent sources talk of its brutal impact on the ordinary people who have been forced to migrate to other areas. Some information on military operations provided by the army’s spokesman is not corroborated by independent news sources.

The Balochistan situation cannot be treated as a law and order problem or as trouble ignited by three or four tribal chiefs. Balochistan’s grievances are deep-rooted and require participatory political handling. A large number of people supporting the demands, often described as Baloch nationalists, are not the followers of the tribal chiefs. They are genuinely concerned about the political and economic future of the province and its people. The federal government’s administrative approach has compelled them to work with the tribal chiefs against the centre.

The possibility of extremists’ involvement in the trouble in Balochistan cannot be ruled out but everybody supporting the movement cannot be labelled an extremist or miscreant. Most political activists and tribal chiefs are inclined towards a negotiated settlement.

A genuinely political approach is needed. If this does not happen the conflict in Balochistan may draw in powerful states and trans-national players. This will accentuate Pakistan’s already troubled internal security.

A dialogue should be initiated with the political leaders in Balochistan on contentious issues like mega development projects, construction of army cantonments and greater provincial autonomy. However, dialogue may not be possible until the military confrontation in the province is defused. Moreover, the provincial government and army/intelligence personnel are not suitable for conducting such a dialogue.

Credible civilian political channels should be employed for the dialogue. If and when the agreement is reached the federal government should implement it without delay and be prepared to work with a more autonomous provincial set-up.

Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi is a political and defence analyst

www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp\15\story_15-1-2006_pg3_2


20 killed by security forces in Kohlu

Staff Report

QUETTA: A tribal leader claimed that at least 20 people were killed as security forces continued attacks on villages in Kohlu on Saturday. The situation in Dera Bugti and Sui remained tense, but no official confirmation of civilian casualties was made.

Mir Balach Mari, a member of the provincial assembly, said that security forces continued their attacks in the Kahan, Daman, and Shmail, Sordu and Renkh villages, where at least 20 people were killed. He said that forces present on the ground also attacked villages with mortars that created havoc among the local population. He said that many people were forced to leave their homes since military operations began on December 17.

Meanwhile, former Balochistan chief minister Mir Humayun Mari said that security forces had begun indiscriminate shelling in Kohlu.

Although the situation in Dera Bugti and Sui remained tense, no clashes were reported in the area. Locals said that the
Sui-Dera Bugti Road
was closed for all kinds of traffic to avoid an influx of those who were trying to take refuge in Sui.

Dera Bugti District Coordination Officer Abdul Samad Lasi, however, denied that the road was closed for traffic.

Rig machine of Pirkoh gas field damaged in rocket attack

By Muhammad Ejaz Khan

QUETTA: A rig machine of the Pirkoh gas field was damaged on Saturday night when suspected saboteurs attacked one of the gas wells with rockets, while a water supply pipeline in the Pathar Nullah area was blown up in Dera Bugti on Saturday.

Confirming the incident, officials told The News from Dear Bugti that suspected miscreants fired at least 16 rockets from an unknown place targeting the gas well No10 of the Pirkoh gas field. One of the rockets ripped through the rig machine, the officials added. However, the gas supply from the plant remained undisturbed.

Soon after the incident, the district coordination officer of Dera Bugti said, personnel of law-enforcement agencies rushed to the site and started a probe into the incident.

"The rig machine was partially damaged in the attack," the DCO said, adding that the attackers managed to flee the scene.

In another incident, officials said suspected saboteurs attacked a camp of the Pirkoh gas field’s employees and fired over five rockets. However, no fatalities were reported. The law-enforcement agencies are investigating the attack, sources said.

Meanwhile, officials said the water supply pipeline in the Pirkoh area of the Dera Bugti district was blown up by unknown saboteurs.

Sources said suspected saboteurs planted a powerful bomb near the pipeline, which went off with a big bang, damaging the pipeline. Officials said that supply of water to the Pirkoh gas field and its suburbs was suspended.

Immediate end to ‘military operation’

in Balochistan demanded

By our correspondent

KARACHI: Expressing grave concern over the ongoing military operation in Balochistan, the Pakistan People’s Party has demanded that the action be stopped immediately, forces withdrawn, and political dialogue be initiated with the leadership of the province to resolve the crisis.

Secretary General of the PPP, Sindh, Nafees Siddiqi, asked the government and Gen Pervez Musharraf not to push the Baloch to the wall and urged all the political forces to play their due role to end this crisis otherwise the country and its unity would be irreparably jeopardised.

Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday, Siddiqi said that the deteriorating situation in Balochistan demanded that the armed forces be withdrawn and the issue be resolved through dialogue.

He said that the purpose of this operation was to divert the attention of the people from the tardy relief operations in the earthquake-stricken Azad Kashmir and the NWFP, as there were reports of massive irregularities in the distribution of relief funds. He said government first raised the issue of Kalabagh Dam and later they launched the operation in Balochistan just to divert the attention of the nation from the corruption plaguing the relief disbursement in the earthquake-stricken areas

Nafees said that the government and its coalition parties were responsible for the killing of the innocent people as they were indirectly supporting the operation. Terming the killing of Baloch people as ‘custodial killing’ and an act to pushing the Baloch people to the wall, the PPP leader said that despite the government’s claim that the operation was against miscreants, not a single miscreant was arrested or produced before the public.

He said that majority of those killed during the operation on Eid day were women and children and added that he had talked to the Baloch leaders on phone who told him that two brigades of the army, levies, Frontier Constabulary, and other paramilitary forces and gunship helicopters were being used against the local population.

He said that in the given circumstances the people of Balochistan had no other option but to react sharply to the operation. While comparing the current volatile situation of Balochistan with the one in the erstwhile East Pakistan in 1971, the PPP leader appealed to the intellectuals and other sections of the civil society to forcefully play their role and exhorted the government that the path that it had chosen would lead to disaster like in former East Pakistan where the intellectuals had failed to play their due role.

Condemning the rulers for creating the issue of controversial Kalabagh Dam, he alleged that the rulers were trying to pit the three smaller provinces against the Punjab. He said that Kalabagh Dam was not an issue of one province but it was a national issue and the PPP and ARD were of the view that consensus should be evolved on this project.

The Sindh PPP leader announced that an ARD protest rally would be taken out in Lahore on January 16 against the operation in Balochistan and construction of the Kalabagh Dam.

He said that on January 18, a big rally would also be staged in Hyderabad against the KBD and Balochistan operation and a meeting of the Anti-Greater Thal Canal and Kalabagh Dam Action Committee and a public meeting would be held at Hala on January 20.

Nafees Siddiqi also condemned the operation in Waziristan and said that this operation be stopped also. The city party leaders Rashid Rabbani, Rafique Engineer MPA, Waqar Mehdi, and others were also present on the occasion.

GHINWA BHUTTO: The Chiarperson, Pakistan People’s Party, Shaheed Bhutto Group (PPP-SB), Ghinwa Bhutto, said that only political dialogue between the government and the Baloch political forces could help resolve the deepening crisis in the province. She vehemently condemned cordoning off of the residence of the Chief of Jamhoori Watan Party, Nawab Akber Bugti, by the security forces.

In a statement issued to the Press, she demanded that the army operation in Balochistan be halted with immediate effect and expressed grave concern over the army operation in Kohlu and Dera Bugti. She said, "We must learn lessons from the past and must not repeat the same mistakes, to avoid any eventuality and must adopt a strategy to reach an agreement, which could help bring peace to the volatile province of Balochistan.

She said peaceful means should be resorted to to avert any chaotic situation in the area and also called for refraining from any steps that would put country’s integrity and security at stake. She said that it was the prime responsibility of the government to remove reservations of Baloch leaders. She also demanded to constitute National Commission comprising of political leaders and parliamentarians to find a solution of the burning issue of Balochistan.

JWP holds demo against Balochistan operation

By our correspondent

KARACHI: Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) staged a protest demonstration outside Karachi Press Club on Saturday against the military operation in Balochistan and demanded an end to continuous attacks on innocent people.

The protestors shouted slogans against the military operation and President Pervez Musharaf and demanded his resignation from the post.

Carrying placards inscribed with ‘Down with President Pervez Musharaf’ the protestorts demanded that UN should take notice of the situation and stop genocide in Balochistan.

They also vowed that the inhabitants of Sui would not vacate their ancestral land neither would they allow others to take control of the natural resources of Balochistan.

Addressing the protestors, Rauf said that military and paramilitary forces had invaded the residential areas, killing hundreds of innocent people mostly women and children and opened indiscriminate fire in Sui, Dera Bugti, Kohlu and other areas of Balochistan.

He further said that the military operation was meant to throw people out of their ancestral place in order to take control of the mineral resources of Balochistan. He warned that the Baloch people would not tolerate any such move and vowed to safeguard their rights.

The speakers urged local and international human rights organization to help sort out the problem of Baloch people who were being targeted by the military, forcing them to vacate their ancestral land in order to grab the resources of the province, they said.

jang.com.pk/thenews/


Balochistan restive, India concerned about gas pipeline

Press Trust of India

New Delhi, January 15, 2006

With unrest prevailing in Balochistan, concerns are growing in India over the proposed $4.16 billion Iran-India gas pipeline which has to pass through the region of Pakistan.

India's worries stem from the fact that it would have huge stakes in the nearly 3000 km long pipeline project, about 800 km of which has to pass through Balochistan.

"We are concerned about the future of the pipeline in view of the growing instability in Balochistan," official sources said.

"India will have immense strategic stakes in the pipeline once completed. Naturally, instability in the region (Balochistan) will not be in the interest of the project," the sources said.

New Delhi apprehends that the pipeline could be caught in the crossfire if violence continues to increase in Balochistan, they said, citing the past incidents when pipelines of water and gas have been targeted in the region.

These concerns are believed to have been one of the provocations for External Affairs Ministry to issue a statement recently on situation in Balochistan.

The pipeline project is of considerable significance to energy-hungry India, as supply of gas from Iran by it will help it meet its growing energy requirements, the sources said.


www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1599015,001301700000.htm


Brouhaha in Balochistan

Meenakshi Iyer (HindustanTimes.com)

New Delhi, January 14, 2006 | 17:07 IST


Pakistan seems to be having a tough time battling the brouhaha over Balochistan.

As if its neighbour's 'friendly' concern over the restive province was not enough to irk the nuclear nation, the trouble has come knocking from inner circles.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), a key party allied to Musharraf, threatened to quit the ruling coalition if a military crackdown in troubled Balochistan province was not halted.

An editorial in Pakistan's Daily Times says, "While an exaggerated sense of external threat will not do Pakistan any good, what is happening internally is quite heart-breaking".

The able General managed to convince MQM's Altaf Hussain that the military action in Balochistan was not an "operation". At the same time almost, it named India as the fomenter of trouble in the restive province.

In an interview to a private channel in India, Musharraf said: "There are a lot of indications, lot of financial support, support in kind being given to those who are anti-government, anti-me..."

Now the catch that the editorial points out is, "Was the Indian interference gambit used to get the MQM to relent?" It says that there seems to be more to the situation than meets the eye.

The MQM's withdrawal may result in the dissolution of the PML-led provincial government in Sindh, where the MQM's 42 legislators form the largest block in the 167-seat local assembly.

As regards the question of Indian interference, as said in reports here earlier, it has been brewing since the installation of the new political order in Afghanistan and the restoration of Indian consulates there.

The Pakistan intelligence is of the opinion that India's RAW is involved in the entire issue.

Clearing the myth, the Daily Times explains, GEO TV's Kamran Khan had announced last November that the Karachi bombing was traced to ...the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which was connected through the Indian consulates in Afghanistan to RAW. He had called on former Balochistan police IG to confirm this... But the IG did not do that, saying instead that in past the BLA had been funded by Baloch sardars in exile".

Also, Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao insisted that he had no proof of RAW being involved in the bombing in Karachi in 2005, when he was asked by Khan.

The editorial concludes by saying that "no one outside Pakistan is going to believe Islamabad's story" and it is high time that "Islamabad should pause and meditate a bit more on the wisdom of the divisive policies it is pursuing".

Meanwhile, Pakistan's powerful tribal chieftain Nawab Akbar Bugti also denied claims by President Musharraf that his group was being supported by New Delhi.

"President Musharraf is using his favourite weapon - lies," Bugti said in a satellite-phone interview from his headquarters at Dera Bugti town in the volatile province.

Balochistan tribesmen have waged a revolt against the central government in the province during the past year and a half, targeting government installations, railway tracks and gas facilities with bombs and rockets.

They are demanding a bigger share of the region's natural resources and jobs in state projects as well as more political rights, and they also oppose the setting up of military garrisons.


www.hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1598506,000500020009.htm


Military operation in Balochistan disastrous, says Rabbani

By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the opposition in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani Saturday warned against continuing military operation in Balochistan and said that by continuing with the military operation and sealing off the province to outside investigators the regime is pitting provinces against one another which will have disastrous consequences for the federation.

"History teaches us that political issues can be resolved only through a political dialogue and not by resort to force. The rulers must heed this lesson of history before they are taught it the hard way," he said in a statement.

He said the Party calls for an immediate end to the on going military operation in the province and demands that political forces taken into confidence to address the political issues.

"As stated by the Chairperson PPP Benazir Bhutto violence in Balochistan is a direct consequence of the imposition of military rule in the country. Every military rule in the country has spawned secessionist tendencies and Musharraf regime is no exception," he added.

Rabbani said "Ayub dictatorship led to the alienation of East Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh. General Yahya Khan’s dictatorship resulted in the Baloch uprising, which the subsequent PPP government had to deal with. After the murder of Bhutto, Sindh was ready to secede but PPP came to the rescue of the Federation."

He added, "General Musharraf’s military dictatorship has resulted military operation in Waziristan, rocket and missile attacks on civilians in Bajaur allegedly by foreign forces, mass discontent and uprising in Sindh and NWFP over the KBD and now an insurgency in Balochistan."

He said continuing the use of force will only further alienate the people of Balochistan and pit federating units against one another. "As a result of the ill conceived policies of the regime that are designed only to perpetuate itself in power the country is faced with grave political crisis that has threatened the integrity of the federation. "If freedom, democracy, constitutional rule, provincial autonomy and peoples rights were not restored, Pakistan’s sovereignty could be endangered and the internal strife could spread further," he added.

jang.com.pk/thenews/


EDITORIAL: Sui Gas Blasts!
By the Editor

DESPITE some reconciliatory overtures by the Government, there seems to be no let-up in provocative acts in Kohlu and Dera Bugti where miscreants continue to target gas installations and pipelines.

Their strategy is quite evident. They want to disrupt supplies of gas to the rest of the country to put maximum pressure on the Government.

The latest acts of sabotage in the area clearly show that the troublemakers are in no mood to allow the tension to recede. They want to keep the pot-boiling.

On its part, the Government has repeatedly given assurance that no operation is underway in Balochistan and selective action is being taken against those who are indulging in anti-State activities.

It has also made it clear that the miscreants asked for it after they carried out a daredevil rocket attack on the President and injured the chief of the Rangers. Under these circumstances, it is lamentable that some politicians and political parties, in their bid of point scoring, are engaged in unrelenting criticism of the Government on this account.

By doing so they are clearly siding with the criminals and enemies of Pakistan. Criticism of the Government or Opposition to its policies is quite different to engaging in acts that amount to encouraging those who are harming interests of Pakistan.

Balochistan remained neglected for decades but for the first time mega projects of far-reaching import are under implementation. These are bound to have tremendous beneficial impact on socio-economic life of the people of the province.

The completion of these projects would also change the pattern of regional trade and make Gwadar and other transit areas as hub of commercial activities. It is because of this that some regional countries are also trying to derail the process of development in the province by creating instability there.

Some elements are playing into their hands and advancing their objectives for the sake of petty personal considerations and monetary benefit. It is quite obvious that no government worth the name could allow blackmailing. It is duty of the Government to establish its writ in each and every corner of the country.

Statements being made by a number of Baloch Sardars and tribal leaders also show that people of Balochistan want progress and development of the province. They also want to the Government to liberate ordinary Baloch people from the virtual slavery.

Any way, this task should not be left unaccomplished. Multidimensional approach should be adopted to achieve this


pakistantimes.net/editorial150106.htm

Woman gang raped

Staff Report

www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp\16\story_16-1-2006_pg7_10

MULTAN: Two men, including a leader of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba, broke into the house of a farmer and allegedly gang raped his wife at gunpoint in Ajnala Village (Sargodha), some 170 miles north of Multan.

“We have registered a case against the men and one of them belongs to a religious organisation,” said Sargodha District Police Officer M Naeem Khan.

According to a police report, Gulzar Ahmed, a member of the Sipah-e-Sahaba, and Allah Ditta befriended Abdul Khaliq and started visiting his house, allegedly abusing Khaliq’s wife in his absence. Khaliq’s wife told him about their intentions and he warned the men, who decided to take revenge. Gulzar and Allah Ditta sent Khaliq to Jauharabad and kidnapped his wife, allegedly raping her. Police have registered a case on the complaint of Khaliq, but the men have not been arrested.

Low gas pressure in Multan: Residents of Multan have not been receiving normal gas supply and the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Company (SNGPL) has failed to respond to their complaints of low gas pressure.

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority has asked the SNGPL to replace transmission lines according to consumption requirements, but the company is doing nothing in this regard. The Walled city, Circular Road, Hassan Parwana Colony, Jalilabad and Khalid Colony experience low gas pressure.

Muazzama Hasnain, a resident, said that she was unable to cook food on time even on Eid. Saeeda Fatima said that the whole area was facing similar problems.

The SNGPL general manager admitted that certain areas in Multan had low gas pressure and the SNGPL was planning to replace pipelines in most of the affected areas, which was delayed because of the lack of funds.

He said that the demand for gas in overpopulated areas had gone up and the company was trying to maximise gas pressure. SNGPL is expanding its network by employing technological, human and organisational resources, he said, adding, “We are installing more operation lines to meet the demand of our customers.” He said that the process would be completed soon.

www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/pakistan/terroristoutfits/Ssp.htm

Govt bent on pushing Balochistan into trouble: Akbar Bugti
DERA BUGTI: The Chairman of the Jamhoori Watan Party Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti has blamed the government of pushing Balochistan into more trouble, instead of encouraging conducive and peaceful dialogue.

While talking to the press, at Dera Bugti, he said that government had started its military operations in the area to snatch Balochi land, and we would defend our right to "total sovereignty" to death.

He said that for this purpose "we would welcome anybody, India or even devil himself."

He chided the government for considering of building cantonments and airfields, as the only forms of development.

He also denied that Sardars do not allow any welfare in their regions. There are 300 schools, and one college in the area, besides numerous hospitals and dispensaries in the region. The college was under the control of FC, who have converted it into military base, and forced all the students to flee.

He blamed the government of taking no conducive step for the development of the province, and merely trying to subjugate the Baloch by force, like The British forces of pre-independence days.

Replying to a question he said that, no doubt warring Balochis are no match for the immensely powered and huge army facing them, but we would fight till the getting "our rights".

Replying to another question, he said Musharraf had apologized to the Balochis for all the discrimination they had faced, but that turned out to be just a face wash. The government’s quest for "occupation of natural resources" which "belong to "us", is in full swing.

Replying to a question about leaving his base in Dera Bugti, he said that he was braving the shells and mortars along with his tribesmen, as he was around according to his military strategy.

Replying to a question about BLA, he said that the organization had full support of Balochi masses as well as "God Almighty himself!"

He informed the press that so far about 50 persons of the tribe have died and about 150 wounded, including women and children.

Stop this genocide against natives of Blaochistan, bullets and bombs cannot quell the resitance of Baloch people.
I appeal and urge the Govt of Pakistan and General Musharraf that wounds are healed by love and relief nut by canons and tanks.
I uege your media and thru you, the international community and in particular US to look into these atrocities and take it up very seriously with PM Shaukat Aziz during his visit to US.

This is ridiculous by Pakistani Army and truly against Humanity. Pakistan has always been an Anti Hindu state.

The Indian Media which has mass audience following especially educated Indians in India and Abroad should take some reponsibility to high light such activities instead of spending valuable time in telecasting comical Lalu interviews and so which is of no use to ordinary Hindus.

Pakistan army attrocities against just Baloch Sardar.They dont want progressing in Baloch community Ihave been to murri tribes where i have seen that people are suffering in living complexity.He who raise to voice against pak army they are lying.Can you tell me where are coming heavy weapons rockets, heavy Machine guns,Land mines and pay to salary of terrorist. thats right?and otherwise destruction of public facilities include light tower transmeter railway lines,bridgesthere are killing baloch people so thats is right?Goverenment of Pakistan pay to rielty of Baloch Sardar (10Karore )three Focker Airo plane And dozens Heavy Land cruiser Cars.I kept hearing in meeting who they are speach public area and adressing that Gawadar Port will never build because its in the Balochistan and otherwise they often kept saying Russia and now ther are opposing and doing terrorism.

WHEN KARZAI SAID PAKISTAN IS SUPPORTING TALIBAN FROM HER BORDER,WAJPAE SAID PAKI GOVT SUPPORTING JIHADIS THROUGH THEIR BORDERS...BUT MUSHRAF SAID THAT ALL BORDERS ARE SEALED AND NO ONE CAN PASS BORDERS WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION THEN HOW BALOCH BEEN SUPPORTED BY THESE SEALD BORDER IS IT NOT A JOK?

By Frederic Grare
Publisher: Carnegie Endowment
Carnegie Paper # 65
Full Text (PDF)

A new conflict is emerging in Baluchistan, a vast yet sparsely populated Pakistani province, straddling three countries: Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. This instability has potential implications for the United States, as it is a launching pad for U.S. military operations against Islamic terrorism.

In a new Carnegie Paper, Pakistan: The Resurgence of Baluch Nationalism, Visiting Scholar Frédéric Grare provides insight to the numerous factors that have led to the complex struggle between the Pakistani government and the Baluch population’s fight for independence. Were Baluchistan to become independent, Pakistan would lose a major part of its natural resources and Baluchistan would become a new zone of instability in the region

www.carnegieendowment.org/files/CP65.Grare.FINAL.pdf

Baloch unrest has no foreign support: study

WASHINGTON: “In the absence of foreign support, which does not appear imminent, the Baloch movement cannot prevail over a determined central government with obviously superior military strength” but still “can have a considerable nuisance value”, according to a new report.

The report – Pakistan: a resurgence of Baloch nationalism – has been written by Frederic Grare, a French diplomat who recently served in Pakistan and also spent four years in New Delhi. It was released on Friday by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Grare writes: “The risk of a prolonged guerrilla movement in Balochistan is quite real. Most observers concur that Baloch nationalists are raising the stakes to strengthen their negotiating position vis-à-vis the central government. Movement leaders have made it known that they would be satisfied with a generous version of autonomy. In the absence of their winning autonomy, however, the medium- and long-term consequences of the struggle for independence cannot be predicted today. The outbreak of another civil war in Balochistan between the nationalists and the Pakistan Army cannot be ruled out if the minimum demands of the Baloch are not met.”

According to the writer, almost six decades of intermittent conflict have given rise to a deep feeling of mistrust toward the central government. The Baloch, he maintains, will not forget General Pervez Musharraf’s recent promises and the “insults” hurled from time to time at certain nationalist leaders. The projects that were trumpeted as the means to Balochistan’s development and integration have so far led only to the advance of the Pakistani military in the province, accompanied by the removal of the local population from their lands and by an intense speculation that benefits only the army and its “henchmen”.

Baloch nationalism, he argues, is a reality that Islamabad cannot pretend to ignore forever or co-opt by making promises of development that are rarely kept. For the moment, with little certainty about the conclusion of an agreement between the central government and the nationalist leaders, the province is likely to enter a new phase of violence with long-term consequences that are difficult to predict. “This conflict could be used in Pakistan and elsewhere as a weapon against the government. Such a prospect would affect not only Pakistan but possibly all its neighbours. It is ultimately Islamabad that must decide whether Balochistan will become its Achilles’ heel,” he writes.

Grare maintains that three separate but linked issues bear on Balochistan today: the national question, the role of the army and the use of Islamism. The national question, he argues, is central. The four provinces of Pakistan, 58 years after independence, still reflect ethnic divisions that the central government neither fully accommodates nor can eliminate. “The elite, in particular the army elite, has never recognised ethnic identities. From Ayub Khan to Pervez Musharraf, the army elite has always tried to promote a united Pakistan,” he points out. Cognisant of their province’s strategic and economic importance, he argues, the Baloch have been all the more resentful of the military’s “arrogance and contempt”. Finally, he writes, the Pakistan Army exercises its power by “manipulating” Islam to weaken Baloch nationalism and, even more important, to conceal the real nature of the Baloch problem from the outside world. “The Baloch crisis is not just the unintended outcome of more or less appropriate decisions. The crisis epitomises the army’s mode of governance and its relation with Pakistan’s citizens and world public opinion,” he adds.

Grare writes that the present crisis in Balochistan was provoked, ironically, by the central government’s attempt to develop this backward area by undertaking a series of large projects. Instead of cheering these projects, the Baloch, faced with slowing population growth, responded with fear that they would be dispossessed of their land and resources and of their distinct identity. In addition, three fundamental issues are fuelling this crisis: expropriation, marginalisation, and dispossession. Balochistan has failed to benefit from its own natural gas deposits, he notes. He points out that the Baloch have had only a small role in the construction of Gwadar port, a project entirely under the control of the central government. The project will benefit the people of Balochistan only if a massive effort is undertaken to train and recruit local residents and if the port is linked with the rest of Balochistan, which is “certainly not the case at the present time”. khalid hasan

by B. Raman

In a shocking attempt to intimidate the remaining
Hindu Balochs in Balochistan to leave the province, a
helicopter gunship of the Pakistan army fired rockets
on a Hindu locality in the Bugti area of Balochistan
on January 20, 2006.

2. According to Mr. Nabi Baksh, a spokesperson of the
Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) of the Bugti leader Nawab
Akbar Bugti, two women and four children were injured.
According to other reports, despite the air strike,
the Hindu Balochs of the locality have refused to
leave the area.

3. In order to protect the Hindus, the resistance
fighters immediately mounted an attack on Government
buildings and posts of the security forces, thereby
forcing the security forces to divert their attention
from the Hindu locality and focus on defending their
posts and government buildings, which came under
attack. The clashes continued till late in the
afternoon.

4. According to Mr. Agha Shahid Bugti of the Jamhoori
Watan Party, the security forces attacked Dera Bugti’s
urban area with heavy weapons and killed nine people,
including two women and five children. A railway track
in the Machh area and a bridge on the national highway
in Wadh were blown up by the resistance-fighters. The
highway connects Quetta and Karachi . The same bridge
was earlier attacked on January 15.

(The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet
Secretariat, Govt. of India, and, presently, Director,
Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai. E-mail: itschen36-AT-gmail.co)

Nine dead in Dera Bugti shelling, claims JWP


By Our Correspondent

QUETTA, Jan 20: Reports of exchanges of heavy fire between security forces and tribesmen around Dera Bugti were received here on Friday. Jamhoori Watan Party spokesman Agha Shahid Hasan Bugti claimed that nine people were killed and 31 others injured in shelling on the town by security forces.

<b>He said paramilitary forces started massive shelling on the town at 11.30am, in which six children, two women and a man were killed and 23 others seriously wounded. He said shelling on Hindu Mallah on Thursday night had left six children and two women injured.</b>

The spokesman said shelling was continuing till evening and two jets had carried out an attack near the town.

Dera Bugti District Coordination Officer Abdul Samad Lasi said government buildings, a television booster and a telephone exchange were badly damaged in the exchange of fire in the area.

Miscreants fired four rockets on my house in Sui. One of them fell 15 yards away from my house but did not explode, he told this correspondent.

He alleged that armed supporters of Nawab Akbar Bugti had fired the rockets from Sui Colony and escaped.

He said that security forces concentrated on protecting national installations and roads and resorted to firing only to defend themselves.

BOMB BLASTS: Four bombs exploded in other areas of the province.

A three-foot portion of the Quetta-Zahidan railway tracks was damaged in an explosion near the Ahmedwal railway station after a train from Zahidan had passed. A railway official said the tracks would be repaired on Saturday.

Railway tracks near Mach were damaged in an explosion but later repaired.

According to a Wadh police official, a device exploded in the wee hours of Friday damaging a bridge on the Quetta-Karachi highway, but traffic was not affected.

Two rockets landed a few yards away from a Frontier Corps checkpoint near Wadh.

A bomb exploded in a sweetmeat shop in Nushki bazaar.

Jamali urges mediamen to visit Kohlu

DERA MURAD JAMALI, Jan 20: Former prime minister Mir Zaffarullah Khan Jamali has urged mediamen to visit Dera Bugti and Kohlu districts to ascertain facts about the situation there. Speaking at a luncheon hosted in his honour by the Nasirabad district coordination officer on Friday, he said President Pervez Musharraf had already clarified that the government was undertaking action only against miscreants and anti-development elements.

He said there was a great difference between the stances of the government and the opposition over the situation in Kohlu and Dera Bugti.¡ÖAPP

www.dawn.com/2006/01/21/top17.htm

Seven die in Dera Bugti shelling’

By Amanullah Kasi

QUETTA, Jan 21: Paramilitary troops and armed tribesmen were engaged in heavy artillery duels in and around Dera Bugti for the second consecutive day on Saturday.

A spokesman for the Jamhoori Watan Party, Agha Shahid Bugti, said that seven persons were killed and 12 others injured in Saturday’s shelling. Four children were among those killed when paramilitary forces began an intense round of artillery fire on the centre of the town at 2:30pm, the spokesman said.

Apart from the children, he said, two men and a woman were also slain. The injured included five children and five women.

The JWP spokesman told Dawn that Frontier Corps personnel had arrested a former district health officer Dr Muhammad Hussain Bugti and his three servants in Dera Bugti on Saturday morning. After his arrest security personnel burned down Dr Bugti’s residence and clinic and threw out his belongings into the street, he said.

The district coordination officer in Dera Bugti, Abdul Samad Lasi, said that saboteurs targeted the FC fort and civil residential colony with heavy weapons. The firing damaged several buildings in addition to the Frontier Corps telephone exchange.

However, he said, the government forces had not suffered any casualty in the attacks. He clarified that the residential quarters were empty as government employees had already evacuated the place following an escalation in the hostilities.

Mr Lasi said that the artillery exchanges between security forces and armed tribesmen of Nawab Bugti continued for five hours.

Meanwhile, security forces and tribesmen continued to fire rockets on each other’s positions in Kohlu. Dozens of rockets were exchanged between the tribesmen and security forces in Fazalchal, Jabber, Naal, Taraman and Muhammad Khan areas of the district.

BOMB BLAST: A powerful explosion rocked Khuzdar on Saturday shattering the windowpanes of nearby houses, police officials said. However, there were no reports of casualties.

A police official told Dawn that the blast occurred at 8.15pm in the Civil Colony neighbourhood.

The official also confirmed that a device had exploded late on Friday night near the home of former federal minister Mir Amanullah Gichki. The wall of Mr Gichki’s house was damaged.

11 camps destroyed in Kohlu, Dera Bugti: Bugti violated agreement: FC

KOHLU, Jan 21: Law-enforcement agencies have smashed 11 ‘farari camps’ in Kohlu and Dera Bugti out of a total 29 in the two districts, says Lt-Col Naeem Masood of the Frontier Corps.

Briefing journalists about the situation in the two districts at the Maiwand Rifles headquarters here on Saturday, he said nine camps were destroyed in Kohlu and two in Dera Bugti. The camps destroyed in Kohlu included Karmo Wadh, Siah Ghari, Hasspur, Jabbar, Peshi and Ber. Such camps in Dera Bugti were identified as Pekal and Murung.

Lt-Col Masood said there were over 41 farari camps in the province — 14 in tehsil Kahan of Kohlu, 15 in Dera Bugti, six in Sibi and another six in other areas. These camps were used to carry out subversive activities in Dera Bugti, Kohlu and adjacent areas, he added.

“These were the hideouts from where the government installations and innocent people were attacked.”

He held Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri responsible for committing atrocities on their tribesmen and keeping their areas backward.

He said both the tribal chiefs were providing shelter to absconders and outlaws in those camps and used them for vested interest.

“So far, hundreds of rocket attacks have been made from these camps,” he said and added that scores of FC troops had been killed in landmine explosions and rocket firing.

The colonel said that Nawab Bugti and Nawab Marri were engaged in a struggle to challenge the government writ in order to run the affairs of their areas according to their will.

He said these ‘terrorists’ were receiving funds from a foreign country to purchase sophisticated arms from Afghan nationals as the weapons they used could not be manufactured locally.

“They even possess the long-range missiles and other sophisticated weapons to target government installations, including the headquarters of FC in Kohlu and Dera Bugti,” he said.

He termed both the tribal leaders ‘main hurdle’ in the way of development of their areas. He said they were also hampering the process in other parts of the province as was evident from the rocket attacks on Mirani dam and killing of Chinese engineers in Gwadar.

He said the government had to delay nine seismic surveys to explore the mineral potential of the area and other development projects owing to their subversive activities.

“Despite the anti-state activities of Nawab Marri and his sons, the government invited Mir Baloch Marri, son of Nawab Marri, to attend President Musharraf’s public meeting in Kohlu,” he said. However, he pointed out, Baloch Marri made rocket attacks in Kohlu instead of accepting the invitation.

Lt-Col Masood blamed Nawab Bugti for violating the agreement he had reached with the government. Kohlu DCO Naseem Lehri said that President Pervez Musharraf had announced Rs1.5 billion for development of the district during his recent visit to the town out of which Rs1 billion would be spent on construction of Kohlu-Sibi road. —APP

Contacts between govt and Bugti denied

By Our Correspondent

QUETTA, Jan 21: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Muhammad Yousuf has not said that contact existed between him and the JWP leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, the chief minister’s spokesman clarified here on Saturday.

The clarification issued here said that the chief minister during his talks with reporters in Marwar and Mach said that contacts between the government and Nawab Bugti had existed and such communication were possible in future.

The statement said on several occasions, the chief minister had clarified that the government did not recognize the existence of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) but some newspapers had created an impression that the chief minister had invited the BLA for talks.

The spokesman said that some newspapers had distorted the chief minister’s version.

The spokesman said that Jam Yousuf had more than once stated that negotiations were possible with political parties but no compromise was possible with anti-state elements.

JWP contradicts: The Jamhoori Watan Party on Saturday contradicted assertions by the Balochistan chief minister and said that neither the government nor the leadership of the PML-Q was in contact with Nawab Bugti.

They criticized Jam Yousuf for dubbing respectable Baloch chieftains miscreants and said it was against the code of ethic of the tribal society, adding that the chief minister had twisted his statements to appease Islamabad.

Speaking at a press conference at the local press club, the party’s secretary-general Agha Shahid Hasan Bugti and former chief minister Mir Hamayun Marri said that 65 persons had been killed and 215 others had been injured since the start of hostilities last month in the Dera Bugti district.

Shahid Bugti and Mir Hamayun said that the Baloch leadership had tried to resolve the Balochistan issue through political means in a democratic manner and proposals to the parliamentary committee had been part of these efforts.

They said character assassination of Baloch tribal leaders would not mislead the majority of the Baloch people.

The Jamhoori Watan Party leaders criticized statements about abolishing the Sardari system and said the system could not be abolished like military dictators trampled the country’s constitution with impunity.

SHELLING VICTIMS: A JWP spokesman said that seven persons had been killed by security forces’ shelling and identified them as Nahal Khan, Jolangi, Fatima, Khawand Bakhsh, Mohaj Ali, Dadan Khan and Mazari.

Decision on dam praised

QUETTA, Jan 21: Chief Minister Jam Yousuf has praised President Pervez Musharraf’s decision to resolve the reservoirs issue and said that the new NFC award will benefit Balochistan.

In a statement issued here the other day, Mr Yousuf said that President Musharraf had exposed the opposition’s negative approach on national issues.

He said the president’s address to the nation reflected the aspirations of the people. He said that construction of Bhasha and Munda dams and to evolve a consensus on the Kalabagh dam was a wise decision.—Correspondent

www.dawn.com/2006/01/22/nat.htm

The nature of conflict in Balochistan

By M. Abul Fazl

AS the federal government’s current military operation in Balochistan — the fifth since Pakistan’s birth — assumes intensity, the confusion about the main contradictions driving it becomes compounded. It is evident from the fact that while armed tribesmen, under the control of their sardars, fight the Frontier Corps personnel, Islamabad offers to provide protection to Nawab Bugti from the FC’s artillery fire. The Nawab insists that there can be no further talks with Islamabad, and the leader of the opposition in the Balochistan Assembly, Kachkol Ali, appreciates the “concern” expressed by India on the situation in the province.

Meanwhile, the tribesmen are seen using a wide array of weapons — least expected to be in private hands — to attack FC personnel, state installations, gas pipelines and the railway tracks and now they are making forays into Punjab, too. And the government refuses to use adequate force to control what, in ordinary parlance, would be described as an armed insurrection.

One finds such anomalies in the situation in Balochistan because the principal contradiction there is not between the state and the Baloch tribal sardars. The federal government, in fact, depends upon the sardars to maintain law and order in the areas in which their tribes reside — an arrangement which also spares it from incurring huge expenditure and the hassle of doing the job itself for the actual cost in that case could turn out to be higher than the subsidies paid to the sardars. The problems that arise between the government and the tribal elite from time to time are essentially over the amount of rent, royalties and other financial benefits that the sardars think should accrue to them for use of their land and of mineral and energy resources located in “their” territory.

The tribal economy in Balochistan is basically pastoral although there is some agriculture and production of handicrafts largely done by the women-folk. But these economic activities are also dominated by the pastoral mode of production.

This mode of production is primitive and is low both in productivity and social surplus. There can, therefore, be no ruling stratum in the tribe. All power rests in the sardar who combines the appropriation of the surplus with the administration of the tribe in both political and economic terms. In addition, he is a spiritual leader and enjoys a saintly status in his tribe — a phenomenon which underpins the tribesmen’s dependent relationship with the sardar.

This makes Balochistan’s tribal society relatively much stable, integrated and cohesive albeit with an equilibrium of a low economic level. It is this enviable social background from which the sardar enters the national politics as a strong figure. It is also the reason why the sardar seeks to protect his tribe from any alien influence which may damage the tribal nature of his society and subsequently his own power. The alien influence can find its way into the ancient, peaceful, well-knit tribal society with the advent of roads, education, hospitals, industry, modern communication means, etc.

Here, the interests of the federal government and the tribal leaderships, it is ironic to note, coincide strategically. The differences between them, if at all, are of some tactical nature. The surplus yielded by a pastoral society with its extremely low level of productivity does not suffice to enable the sardars to perform their traditional functions, for they are unable to maintain a standard of living commensurate with their social positions. The government has, therefore given them lands in Punjab and Sindh, apart from paying the normal subsidies. They are also paid rent for allowing the use of their lands where gasfields are discovered, although it also helps local people as they get employment in such projects.

The clash begins shaping up when the sardars feel dissatisfied with either the amount of their subsidies or with the royalties paid to them for the exploitation of oil, gas and mineral deposits in their areas. Or when they feel that the government is insensitive to the privileges that they think they deserve.

However, periodic violent clashes are no less a blessing. They give strength to, and prolong the life of, the tribal system as they enable the sardars to act as a saviour of the members of their tribes and a protector against external violence and alien influence. That the nature of the contradiction between the government and the sardars is non-antagonistic is evident from the fact that, in spite of an insurrection-like situation, the security forces or troops are careful enough not to lay their hands on the sardars. The reason owes its origin to the policy of the British Raj, which has been borrowed, adopted and practised by the Pakistan government, under which the latter considers the sardars the only interlocutor on behalf of the people of their tribes for negotiations and settlement of a dispute. The incumbent provincial regime or other political forces cannot play this role.

The situation in Balochistan can become far more stable if the federal government chooses to interact with the democratic forces, although they are fewer, weaker and lack any popular following. Civil society in Balochistan cannot grow in tandem with its counterparts in other provinces for the sardars would not let it happen. Besides, the educated middle class and intelligentsia, which are pillars of a civil society, are small. Hence, the political parties, trade unions, human rights groups, etc., cannot grow independently and can only function under the guidance of the tribal sardars. So, the sardars also appropriate democratic groups’ demand for provincial autonomy because it can, in case it is conceded to by Islamabad, further strengthen their power and the tribal system.

The small working class in the province consists of railway workers and some miners. The closure of the shipbreaking industry in Somiani has reduced their numbers though they will now grow in size when Gadani port becomes fully functional. The rural wage-workers in the north-east are seasonal and unorganized. In sum, the workers’ weight is negligible and they are isolated from the middle class.

But only a middle-class, consisting of traders, shopkeepers, artisans and lower-grade office-workers, can, in alliance with workers, become the backbone of a democratic social movement. Until this happens in Balochistan, the government cannot regard this class a worthy stakeholder and hold a dialogue with it along with the tribal sardars for settlement of disputes.

The students come mainly from this class. They would, therefore, be in sympathy with its political programme. Even otherwise, the students not being related directly to the means of production, an important section among them can act autonomously in relation to the exploiting classes. They have, thus, often been the spearhead of social movements, as was the case in Budapest in 1956 and in Paris in 1968.

Their role has been somewhat similar in Balochistan but not much effective due to the smallness of the democrats’ social base. It is this ineffectiveness and their repeated failure to get their way in politics that has often driven a small section of them to violence. The government’s reaction has been inappropriate, resembling the repression in Latin America, which was marked by “disappearances.” Therefore, the students have retreated from the political arena. I do not know but it is possible that the “Balochistan Liberation Army” is the creation of some extremist students. Actually, in Balochistan, the end of any political movement of protest is said to be signalled by bomb blasts in towns, which is, of course, a useless act.

However, the democrats can, in alliance with the workers, build themselves into viable interlocutors with the government. This would then effectively reduce the role of the sardars in politics and give Balochistan a progressive, modern political leadership.

The democrats’ demand of excessive provincial autonomy may be theoretically correct. But it puts them in the company of the landed classes of Sindh and the Frontier, not to speak of their own sardars, all of them being practitioners of a primitive kind of exploitation. Whenever the left has accepted right-wing leadership in pursuit of a nationalist struggle, it has always been the loser.

Lastly, some great powers are interested in Balochistan, not for the good of the province but for their own interests. The interests of the Baloch and of the imperialists can never coincide. Therefore, a democratic movement in Balochistan can achieve the greatest good of the Baloch only in cooperation with the other forward-looking forces within Pakistan.

www.dawn.com/weekly/encounter/encounter2.htm

19 killed in clashes, Bugti tribesmen claim

By Azizullah Khan

QUETTA: Bugti tribesmen said on Saturday that at least 19 people have been killed in two days of fighting with security forces.

Zulfiqar, a resident of Dera Bugti, said that he could name 19 people killed in heavy shelling by the security forces. He said that clashes between government forces and the tribesmen started in the morning, while heavy shelling began late in the afternoon. He said that the shelling had destroyed seven shops and killed several animals.

Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) General Secretary Agha Shahid Bugti said in a press conference that at least 65 people had been killed in military action in Dera Bugti between December 30 and January 20. He said that about 214 people had been injured.

The government has not mentioned any casualties in the province. He accused the security forces of “playing havoc” in the area, saying that the death toll would have been more than 100 if all local residents had been in the area. Bugti said that the security forces were using “all kinds of weapons” in the clashes.

Dera Bugti District Coordination Officer Abdul Samad Lasi said that no casualty had been reported by the security forces, adding that there was no information about the death toll on the other side. He denied that civilians, including women and children, had been killed in the clashes.

11 Farari camps dismantled in Balochistan

By Muhammad Ejaz Khan

QUETTA: Commandant Frontier Corps (FC) Lt-Col Naeem has said that the law and order situation is gradually improving in the Kohlu district.

Briefing journalists from Quetta, who visited Kohlu on Saturday, the FC commandant said nine out of a total of 15 Farari camps had been dismantled in Kohlu.

Lt-Col Naeem said the anti-state and anti-social elements would be dealt with sternly. He said that during the targeted action against miscreants, nine FC personnel had been killed and 14 injured, while some 50-55 miscreants had been killed in the operation in Kohlu and Dera Bugti areas.

He said that since 2002, a total of 843 attacks and incidents of violence had been reported in different parts of the province, including 54 attacks on the law-enforcement agencies, 31 on gas pipelines, 417 incidents of rocket-firing, 291 mine blasts and 50 cases of abduction. In the same period, a total of 166 incidents of violence were reported in the Kohlu district. These included 45 incidents of bomb blasts and 110 of rocket-firing.

Giving details of the Farari camps in various parts of the province, Lt-Col Naeem said there were some 40 Farari camps in various parts of the province and of them 12 had been dismantled. There were some 15 Farari camps in Kohlu alone and out of these nine had been dismantled, he added.

"Similarly, 14 Farari camps were being operated in the Dera Bugti district," he said, adding that out of these two had been dismantled. The area people have heaved a sigh of relief after the elimination of these camps, he said, adding that the people wanted development, but the miscreants didn’t.

"They (the anti-development elements) want to keep the areas backward and the people ignorant. That is why they are opposing the development projects being implemented by the government," he said and added that the government would do its best to establish the writ of law.

On Saturday, sabotage incidents continued in different parts of the restive province as three powerful bomb blasts rocked the Harnai Tehsil of the Sibi district and Frontier Corps (FC) check-posts were attacked with rockets in Kohlu and Dera Bugti districts.

Official sources said three powerful bombs went off in quick succession in the Sunari area of Harnai. The explosions were heard within a radius of several kilometres and the area people started panicking, the sources said. However no fatalities were reported. Police are investigating the explosions.

Meanwhile, train traffic remained suspended in Harnai despite the lapse of 21 days. Suspected saboteurs had blown up a railway bridge in Harnai on December 30, officials said, adding that so far no repair work had been carried out on the damaged bridge.

In another incident, official sources said suspected miscreants fired four rockets at the FC check-post of Muhammad Khan in the Kohlu district, some 390 kilometres from the provincial capital. The rockets landed near the check-post, but didn’t cause any casualties, the sources added. A probe has been initiated.

Reports reaching here from Dera Bugti said that FC personnel and armed tribesmen were engaged in a heavy fire exchange. The two sides were using sophisticated weapons against each other, the sources added.

Confirming the firing incident, the district coordination officer of Dera Bugti, Abdul Samad Lasi, said armed tribesmen fired at least 500 rockets at the FC fort in Dera Bugti. Three hundred rockets hit the fort, damaging it badly, he added. Two FC personnel were also injured in the fire exchange.

Meanwhile, the central secretary-general of the Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP), Agha Shahid Bugti, told a news conference that more than nine people were killed and 23 others wounded in the recent actions of the law-enforcement agencies in Dera Bugti. He claimed that most of the victims were female and children.

He rejected the government’s allegations that JWP chief Nawab Akbar Bugti had any private army, saying that Nawab Bugti had neither any private army nor any force. He added that the local population were defending themselves.

Replying to a question about the solution of the ongoing conflicts, Agha said it seemed that the government was not serious in resolving the Balochistan issue as it had not contacted the JWP chief so far. "Those who can solve the Balochistan issue are not serious."

jang.com.pk/thenews/

<img border=0 src="http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060123/images/23asma.jpg" />
Baluchistan blow to Pervez

Asma Jahangir at the media conference. (Reuters)
Islamabad, Jan. 22 (Reuters): Pakistan’s top rights group on Sunday accused President Pervez Musharraf’s military- led government of “gross human rights violations” in Baluchistan province, where it said a “war-like situation” prevailed.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also rejected government claims that it was not using regular armed forces in a crackdown in the southwestern province launched last month after rocket attacks by tribal militants battling for greater autonomy and control of lucrative natural gas fields.

The group said it had “<span style="font-size:medium;">received evidence that action by armed forces had led to deaths and injuries among civilians”</span> and that <span style="font-size:medium;">“populations had also been subjected to indiscriminate bombing”.</span>

The HRCP report said up to 85 per cent the 22,000-26,000 inhabitants of Dera Bugti had fled their homes after the town was repeatedly hit by shelling by paramilitary forces.

<span style="font-size:medium;">“There were alarming accounts of summary executions, some allegedly carried out by paramilitary forces. HRCP received credible evidence that showed such killings had taken place,”</span> it said.

<span style="font-size:medium;">“Across Baluchistan, the HRCP team found widespread instances of ‘disappearance’, of torture inflicted on people held in custody, and on those fleeing from their houses,”</span> it added.

However HRCP chairperson Asma Jahangir told a news conference that interviews with local people had not provided evidence to prove a claim by Baluch opposition politicians that the military had used poison gas.

<span style="font-size:medium;">“The security forces, as well as the decision-makers, have remained completely unaccountable for the gross human rights violations in the province, including responsibility for the internally displaced people,”</span> the report said.

“There is a war-like situation, militarisation and politico-economic conflict in Baluchistan,” it said.

Pakistan Army using chemical weapons in Balochistan, says former Chief Minister Mengal
Karachi | January 23, 2006 4:27:14 PM IST
 
Former Chief Minister of Pakistan's Balochistan province, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, has claimed that Pakistani forces are using chemical weapons in Baluchistan.

 

Mengal, who addressed the media at the Karachi Press Club, backed his claim by showing pictures of Baluch civilians who he said had been hit by chemical weapons.

Further backing his claim of use of chemical weapons Mengal pointed to the pictures and said that " you will note the blood coming out of people's mouth without any injury to their bodies...what does this show...it shows that poisonous gases have been used in the military operation ".

Demanding the presence of international mediators to ensure a fair resolution of the dispute between the tribal-dominated province and Islamabad, Mengal, who is presently the President of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), said that the Balochis are not ready to negotiate with either President General Pervez Musharraf or his hand-picked government.

"Chemical weapons are being used (to resolve the crisis), and a large number of women and children have died as a result," Mengal claimed in an interaction with the media here.

"The parliamentary committee on Balochistan has failed to assert itself and the Baloch leadership has decided that we would not engage in any sort of dialogue with the military leadership or its representative committees. We can only talk in the presence of an international mediator," Mengal said, while appealing to all countries, "which claim to be an exponent of humanity and peace, to intervene immediately."

Mengal's lament was completely endorsed and supported by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), which categorically rejected repeated claims by authorities in Islamabad that regular armed forces were not being used to crackdown on people in Balochistan in the wake of a string of rocket attacks by tribal militants last month.

The HRCP claimed that it had concrete evidence that action by the armed forces had led to the deaths and injuries among civilians" and that "populations had also been subjected to indiscriminate bombing".

"I challenge, I challenge the (Pakistan) government on their statement that there was no bombardment, number one. There was; and local people have confirmed that, or have alleged that. There were credible reports of that.Number two, they say nobody has died because of the conflict there. This is amazing, because if you go there and you find out people have given names and sadly, most of them were children and women," HRCP chairperson Asma Jahangir told reporters at a news conference in Islamabad on Sunday.

According to a HRCP report, up to 85 percent of the 22,000 to 26,000-strong population in Balochistan's Dera Bugti town has fled from their homes after they were repeatedly hit by paramilitary shelling.

The report described the situation in Balochistan as "a war-like situation, militarisation and politico-economic conflict in Balochistan," and by denying this government was only confusing the issue and "making it more intractable."

Demanding an immediate cease-fire in the province, the HRCP said Pakistan's Parliament must meet in a special session to ensure that negotiations and dialogue is sustained.

Jehangir pleaded with the military-backed government to halt army action in Balochistan, warning that if this was not done, the negative repurcussions on the future of this smallest of Pakistan's four provinces would be enormous and of long-term duration, which could have a delibitating impact across the country.

Rebutting the government's claim as regards end of military action in Balochistan, Jehangir said the military operation" was still on in various parts of the province.

"Four brigades regular army, 35,000 Frontier Corps, 12,000 Coast Guards, 8,700 policemen and 2,000 marine forces are engaged in the operation. About 12 gunship helicopters and nine jets are also operating," she claimed.

Also, the former Baluch Chief Minister Akhter mengal rejected the government's claim that Baloch insurgents had links to Indian intelligence agencies saying they were not Balochis who had the external support, but it was the Pakistan army, which with the help of external forces, had been crushing the resistance for Baloch national cause.

An emotional Mengal came down hard on the army, saying it was responsible for the tragedy of East Pakistan. " If army's role in national politics is not eliminated, it may lead to another tragedy like East Pakistan. And if it happens, army will solely be responsible for that", he contended.

The Pakistani military launched a major crackdown against militants in Balochistan after a rocket attack on December 14 during a visit by President Pervez Musharraf to the town of Kohlu.

Baloch nationalists say almost 200 people have been killed. The government has not commented on casualties but analysts say the militants' figure could be exaggerated.

Balochistan is home to Pakistan's main gas fields and local militants are battling for more autonomy and control of these resources and greater autonomy.

The crackdown has coincided with the announcement of plans to privatise two gas distribution firms operating in Balochistan. (ANI)

 

 

Balochis demonstrate in London against cultural genocide Deteriorating internal situation in Pakistan cause for concern
New Delhi | January 23, 2006 2:39:06 PM IST
 
 http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=228127&cat=India

Speaking to a Dubai daily last week, Senator and senior Baloch politician Sanaullah Baloch alleged that Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf was using poison gas to kill innocent civilians in Balochistan.

Comparing the Pakistani President and Army Chief with former Iraqi supremo Saddam Hussein, the fiery Baloch leader rhetorically asked, " Who is Pervez Musharraf? He is not a constitutionally elected President. He took over the reins in a military coup and has no business to speak about the Balochis who are suffering at the hands of the Pakistan armed forces and the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI)." This is a serious allegation by any yardstick and will be noted with grave concern both within Pakistan and by Pakistan watchers the world over. It is important to note that this allegation is being made by a senior Baloch and Pakistani politician and will no doubt be investigated further by the feisty Pakistani print-media which has put the Musharraf regime in the dock for its recent handling of the unrest in Baluchistan.

The poison gas charge is indicative of the nature of the internal discord and turbulence that has been brewing in the region for over a year. It may be recalled that in January 2005, a Pakistani lady doctor Shazia Khalid was raped in the premises of the Sui gas refinery by a Pakistani army officer and, instead of punishing the accused, the Pakistani establishment chose to hush up the case and threaten the victim--so much so that she had to flee the country.

The local Baloch people protested and this was put down with a heavy hand by the Pak 'fauj' leading to a pattern of escalating violence in which hundreds of Balochis have been killed and injured.

The Pakistani military presence has increased in the region and this has further exacerbated an already explosive situation leading to the current charge of the use of poison gas by the Pak military against their own citizens.

Comparisons are being made--within Pakistan--with the sequence of events that led to the birth of Bangladesh in 1971 and, while this may be exaggerated, there is little doubt that the internal situation in Pakistan is deteriorating in an undesirable manner--and this is of relevance to Delhi and the on-going Indo-Pak composite dialogue process that saw the two Foreign Secretaries meeting in Delhi on January 18.

The last week witnessed further unrest in Pakistan when, on January 13, in an air-strike purported to have been carried out by pilot-less CIA planes, missiles were fired at a house in the village of Damadola in the Bajaur Agency along the Pak-Afghan border. The target ostensibly was the Al Quaida number two Aiman Al Zawahiri but he appears not to have been present at the site (thereby suggesting faulty intelligence) and the net result was the killing of between 18 to 29 innocent local people--many belonging to one family.

This incident caused widespread anger in Pakistan and a nationwide protest on January 15 saw thousands taking to the streets in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and other parts of the country with the crowds chanting anti-Musharraf and anti US slogans.

This anti-American sentiment within the country compelled Gen Musharraf to assert to visiting US Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns on January 21 that Islamabad would not allow such incidents to be repeated and that a recurrence could adversely affect the cooperation with the US in the war against the al Quaida.

Paradoxically, many in Pakistan believe that the relative success of the peace process with India has allowed the Pakistani military to re-assign its troops from the Indian border to deal with growing unrest within the country and that the image of stability that the Pakistani President is trying to project is misleading.

This is aptly reflected in an editorial comment in the Daily Times of January 16 that notes: "We have come to a point where 'security' is apparently held to be incompatible with 'politics.' The government is bogged down in Waziristan, Dera Bugti and Kohlu, and there is a growing threat from the grand opposition of the country of uniting and marching against Islamabad. If the PM and the President thought they could rely on Punjab, they should take another look at the growing opposition to the image the government is projecting of itself." The situation within Pakistan is further compounded by events in troubled Afghanistan next door and the resurgence of the Taliban has become very bloody in recent days. On January 15, a senior Canadian diplomat Glyn Berry was killed near Kandahar in a car bomb blast with the Taliban claiming responsibility. Later on January 16 a suicide bomber killed 21 people watching a wrestling match and this has been described as the deadliest attack since the US-led forces removed the Taliban from power in late 2001.

Consequently, there have been widespread protests in Afghanistan with more than 5,000 people in the Spinboldak region alone giving vent to their anger against Pakistan for sponsoring such violence.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has in the past accused Pakistan's ISI of nurturing the Taliban and not allowing the fledgling Afghan Parliament to settle down to the more serious task of reconstruction of a war-ravaged country and clearly the Pak-Afghan relationship is under strain.

To further stoke the kind of radical fervour that incites such terrorist violence, the Al Quaida supremo Osama bin Laden (OBL) released an audio tape through Al Jazeera (Jan 19). It dwelt on the US-led military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with an offer of truce and a warning to Washington that more attacks would follow if the truce was rejected (which the Bush administration promptly did) and a rallying call to his supporters in the Muslim world. The impact of this message will probably be known in the near future but it may be inferred that such communication will seek to convince the 'true OBL believer' to intensify the distorted 'jihad' that is being waged in the regions where this virus has spread in a virulent manner.

The theory of the psychology of terrorism accords considerable import to such motivational group dynamics and this manifests itself in a non-linear fashion as the world has tragically witnessed in the last two years from Madrid and London to Delhi.

The complex linkages of the above events would suggest that while Pakistan and Afghanistan will continue to be caught in the grip of increasing sectarian and religious radicalism, the anti-American sentiment in the Pakistani street will be the dominant strand in the popular perception. Gen Musharraf is perceived to be capitulating to the hated western Satan and the Damadola incident will generate deep reverberations among the religious right-wing constituency. In an unintended way, India is no longer the enemy Number One in the Pakistani psyche and the inauguration of the Amritsar-Lahore bus service (Jan 20) and the Munnabao-Khokrapar train link (Jan 30) are representative of the bonhomie at the people-to-people level in the two countries.

Gen Musharraf is in an unenviable position but he remains India's principal interlocutor at a time when the composite dialogue has made some encouraging progress. The much hoped for transition to true and credible civilian rule and democracy in Pakistan by 2007 is a gauntlet that the Pakistani people will have to pick up. In the interim, the Pakistani military remains the power behind the throne and long term stability both within Pakistan and its neighbourhood will be predicated on the perspicacity that the GHQ in Rawalpindi brings to the table-in dealing with Baluchistan, Waziristan and with Afghanistan and India.

(Cmde C Uday Bhaskar is the Deputy Director of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. The views expressed here are personal.) UNI XC NK DS1356

 

http://www.hrcp-web.org/images/publication/balochistan%20report/pdf/balochistan_report.pdf

Testimony of Dr. Imdad Baloch , President of BSO = Baloch Students Organization

[This is the detailed account of torture provided by Dr Imdad Baloch to HRCP = HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF PAKISTAN]
 
Toilet

I had to urinate in a bottle and empty it once a day, when I went for defecation. Defecation was a torture
itself, as a man would stand nearby and shout:
“Hurry up, you only have 40 seconds.” Then he would shout, “hurry up, your time is almost finished,”
and finally he would come and say “come out, your time is finished.”
Often, one had to come out without washing up.

Every midnight we were woken up for a search by a higher authority. They would ask us about our
health and how we felt, however, it had nothing to do with their behavior towards us. The officer in charge of
this procedure, who was accompanied by at least three or four men, used to chat with every prisoner for four
or five minutes. During this, we were told to face the wall and were not allowed to look at him. We were also
told that if in case we caught a glimpse of him, it would become impossible for us to leave the prison alive.
When this officer would talk to other prisoners, I would try to come as close to the door as possible, so
that I could hear their conversations. By doing so, I could tell what was happening with Allah Nazar, and how
he was feeling. Also, it gave me a chance to know something about the other prisoners.
This helped me realize that Allah Nazar was being subjected to a more severe form of torture than
myself. I also found out that he was sick, as he would ask for medicine, but was constantly refused. During this
search, I also came to know that the other prisoners were Islamic militants.

Once I heard one of the prisoners saying:
“Sir! It is my fifth month here, and I have been interrogated for weeks. Why am I not being released?”
He was answered:
“We have faxed your case to Islamabad, and we will decide what to do with you as soon as we get a
reply from there.”
Another prisoner had been there for more than 9 months.

UK Balochs protest against Pak suppression in their province
London | January 27, 2006 2:13:42 PM IST

news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp

Expatriate Balochs living in Britain recently staged a protest demonstration in London against the alleged Pakistani suppression in their province.

The protest included a march past 10 Downing Street, the official residence of British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The protesters demanded that the British Government use its influence over Islamabad to bring an end to the Pakistani military action in Baluchistan.

Baloch militants have been waging a low-level insurgency for decades for greater benefits, control of gas and other natural resources.

On Wednesday, a landmine planted by tribal militants blew up a minibus in the province, killing six people, including two children, government officials said.

Pakistans top rights group has already accused President Pervez Musharrafs military-led government of gross human rights violations in the province, where it said a war-like situation prevailed.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also rejected government claims that it was not using regular armed forces in a crackdown in the southwestern province launched last month after rocket attacks by tribal militants battling for greater autonomy and control of lucrative natural gas fields.

The group said it had received evidence that action by armed forces had led to deaths and injuries among civilians and that populations had also been subjected to indiscriminate bombing.

The HRCP report said up to 85 percent the 22,000-26,000 inhabitants of Dera Bugti had fled their homes after the town was repeatedly hit by shelling by paramilitary forces.

A handful of representatives of Sindhi and Baloch people residing in the U.K. held placards condemning the ongoing alleged atrocities on their people by the Pakistani military regime.

Activists shouted anti-Musharraf slogans and condemned the ongoing atrocities in their region rich in mineral resources.

Pakistans army launched a crackdown against Baluchistan militants after a December 14 rocket attack while Musharraf was visiting the region. Baluchi nationalists say 200 people have since been killed, but Pakistan has not commented on casualties.

Opposition parties in Baluchistan accuse the government of using helicopter gunships and warplanes to rocket and bomb civilians in northern Baluchistan.

Kadir Jaloti, Director of the World Sindhi Institute, urged the world community to take up the issue of Baloch people and help resolving the issue.

I want to tell the whole world that today Baluchistan is burning and its no only Baluchistan which is burning but the whole world. So, this is the issue of whole world and to condemn Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharrafs action, said Jaloti angered at the action.

Mir Khalid Langau. Leader of National Party Baluchistan, warned the Pakistani military with dire consequences if they do not stop atrocities in the troubled region.

Pakistani military is one of the rarest militaries who wants to conquer its own state. Instead of providing them their fundamental rights they are targeting them with bullets. We want to tell them they should not consider themselves and their army to be so powerful that they can face us. Now we are ready to face them. And we want them to recall the 70s about General Arora and General Niazi controversy, said Langau.

In the past month, mines planted by militants have killed five troops of the Frontier Corps paramilitary force and destroyed seven vehicles, a paramilitary official said.

The crackdown in Dera Bugti and nearby Kohlu district began in mid-December after a string of rebel rocket attacks, including one during a visit to the area by President Pervez Musharraf.

Abdullah Baluch, Baluchistan Action Committee and organizer of the protest, called upon the world leaders to send a mission to Baluch region to find the real truth.

We want international community to send a fact finding mission to and see for themselves what is happening to the Baluch people. They are under immense pressure from Pakistan. There are around 4000 innocent people are missing or extra judicially kept in custody of Pakistani army, said Baluch.

Baluch nationalists say almost 200 people have been killed in the crackdown. The government has not commented on overall casualties. (ANI)

i can clearly see tht how some indian pus5ies have been dying to split pakistan further by showing support for Indians.
this report(www.newscentralasia.com/modules.php) gives y0u a clear picture about culprits behind this game

What Pakistani army want to prove in world that they are strong and capable to fight with anyone exaclty not they just know how to kill their people's.No doubt they have massive weapons.helicopters and whatever they got for crushing BALOCH NATION,but baloch nation have will to defend their self against PUNJABI ARMY.Punjabi media just give coverage their cities and where they have interest.but PUNJAB have much more interest in BALUCHISTAN thats why they are not giving coverage to our LOVING BALUCHISTAN..they are just hiding the facts and realities to their people's and internationally.and they are saying just few peoples are involved in terrorism. i wanna say to punjab and pakistan they are not just few persons its a struggle of entire BALUCH NATION but way of doing are different...u come to know soon INSHALLAH.LONG LIVE BALUCH NATION......LONG LIVE BALUCHISTAN.......SABZ BAAT BALUCHISTAN.

What Pakistani army want to prove in world that they are strong and capable to fight with anyone exaclty not they just know how to kill their people's.No doubt they have massive weapons.helicopters and whatever they got for crushing BALOCH NATION,but baloch nation have will to defend their self against PUNJABI ARMY.Punjabi media just give coverage their cities and where they have interest.but PUNJAB have much more interest in BALUCHISTAN thats why they are not giving coverage to our LOVING BALUCHISTAN..they are just hiding the facts and realities to their people's and internationally.and they are saying just few peoples are involved in terrorism. i wanna say to punjab and pakistan they are not just few persons its a struggle of entire BALUCH NATION but way of doing are different...u come to know soon INSHALLAH.LONG LIVE BALUCH NATION......LONG LIVE BALUCHISTAN.......SABZ BAAT BALUCHISTAN.

Pecal & Kahan: 6 killed and 5 injured in a landmine blast in Pecal, 5 children & 1 woman  killed and one injured in army shelling in Kahan

Pecal:Six killed five injured in a land mine blast in Pecal on Marri-Bugti border area


Agha Sahid Bugti: Says armed forces to be blamed for landmine blast in Pecal and more

Kahan & Dera Bugti: More killings due to government bombing in Kahan and Dera Bugti

Balochistan: Bombing continues in Kahan 11 killed, UCH power plant gas pipeline blown up and blasts in Noshki, Quetta and more


Balach Marri: Kahan focus of severe army bombings, several deaths and total population migrated from Kahan

Kahan: Army targeting different parts of Marri area, FC camp attacked in Kohlu and more

Balochistan: Two blasts in Khuzdar, train line blown in Noshki, heavy forces moved to Karmu Wadh and more

Gas fields targeted: Clashes in Margett and bomb blast under a bridge in Wadh  

Kahan: Five persons killed in Kahan and three more bodies of FC personnel found  

Interview with Balach Marri: and bombing in Kahan and clashes in Mach other parts of Balochistan 5 bodies of FC personnel found

More attacks: BLA claims to have Killed 10 FC Personnel in Margett area near Mach and more

Kandkot & Wadh: Gas pipe line blown up in Kandkot cities in Balochistan affected, bomb blast in Wadh

BLA target armed forces and government installations, bodies of Bugti's murdered by army still missing, Rashid Rahman on latest Situation in
Balochistan

Pirco & Marri area: FC personnel killed and 14 Bugti tribes men arrested from their homes and later Murdered

Report by Abdul Razaq Barq: Situation in Balochistan very tense says Abdul Satar Kakkar Pashto Service<

Sardar Attaullah Mengal: Musharraf a dubious character, land mine explosion near Pirco city FC personnel killed

Marri Bugti areas: Five FC killed personnel killed and several injured in different incidences

Report: Leaflets showered by army airplanes pretending to be Azad Bugti Council  asking to denounce Nawab Bugti, attacks on army in Talli,  Mach and Noshki BLA claimed responsibility

Sanullah Baloch: Bugti house taken over by Pakistani army on Eid day

Report by Ayoub Tareen: Army airplanes throwing leaflets asking to rebel against Nawab Bugti and Bugti house in Sui occupied by army

Interview: HRCP chairperson Asma Jhangir says Pakistan army just like a occupation army in Balochistan

Report by Kashif Kamar: Relatively calm when HRCP delegation in Balochistan and more

BALOCHISTAN: SECOND WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It’s a war-like situation in Balochistan, says U.S. foundation
Islamabad: The human rights situation in Balochistan is very grave, especially in the wake of reports of the recent military action in the province, an expert working with the US-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has said.
www.carnegieendowment.org/files/CP65.Grare.FINAL.pdf
Grare, a visiting scholar at the organisation, said that the current situation in Balochistan was a ‘war-like situation’.

Without ruling out the possibility of a civil war in the troubled province, he said: “I see that nowhere, and that’s why, I believe we are heading towards a situation where we might have additional trouble in Pakistan but not to the point that should lead to collapse. And, I think that many of the Baloch leaders do understand that and do not want to go that far.”
The US-based group further said that it had “received evidence that action by the armed forces had led to deaths and injuries among civilians and that the population has also been subjected to indiscriminate bombing”.
This is the second time when the situation of human rights in Baloshistan has been criticised. Earlier, this week, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had accused President Pervez Musharraf’s military-led govt of ‘gross human rights violations in Balochistan’. The HRCP had also rejected govt claims that it was not using regular armed forces in a crackdown launched last month in the southwestern province to counter rocket attacks by tribal militants battling for greater autonomy and control of lucrative natural gas fields.

The HRCP report had said that up to 85 per cent of the 22-26,000 inhabitants of the Dera Bugti area of the province had fled their homes after it was repeatedly shelled by paramilitary forces.

Over the past one month, mines planted by militants had killed as many as five troopers of the Pakistan Frontier Corps and destroyed seven vehicles.

Six injured in Dera Bugti gun-battle, Balochistan demand release of tribesman

www.newkerala.com/news2.php

Six injured in Dera Bugti gun-battle, Balochistan demand release of tribesman

Quetta: At least six people were injured on the third day of a gun-battle between paramilitary forces and Bugti tribesmen in the Dera Bugti town yesterday. Rocket attacks on Frontier Corps bases and checkpoints were reported from Loti, Kohlu and Nal areas and landmines were found and defused in other areas.

All roads leading to Dera Bugti remained closed because of the gun-battle and landmines. People still inside the town were reported to be facing shortage of food and other items of daily use, the Dawn reported.

Quoting sources, the paper reported that buildings and shops in the town were hit as tribesmen and security forces continued to target each other’s position with rockets and mortar shells on Wednesday night. A number of shops and houses were gutted in the Bugti bazaar, they added.

The sources further said that a fresh attack was launched on tribesmen’s positions at around 11am using rockets, mortar shells and other heavy weapons in the attack. “Security forces have sealed all roads connecting the Dera Bugti town to Sui and other areas,” they said adding that a number of people wanted to leave the troubled area but they were stranded in the town and villages.

Meanwhile, according to a separate report in the paper, some local government representatives of Kohlu district in Balochistan have demanded the “release” of a senior member of the Marri tribe who, according to them, was ‘kidnapped’ by the government intelligence agencies in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Mir Colonel Qadhafi said his brother Mir Asghar Khan, who is the head of Pirdadani sub-clan of the Marri tribe, was picked up in a joint action by the Dera police and some plainclothesmen on Jan 28 last when he, along with his seven-year-old son Rehan, was passing by the Fareedi Bazaar in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Colonel Qadhafi said being an elder of his tribe, Mir Asghar had addressed a press conference in Multan a few days before his kidnap to express concern over the ongoing military operation in his native Kohlu district. He said Mir had pointed out human rights violations in the Marri area.

He further said if the government had any allegation of criminal nature against Mir Asghar, he should be produced before a court of law so that he could exercise his right to defend himself.

Meanwhile, the tribesmen have filed a habeas corpus petition with the Multan bench of Lahore High Court. “We just want justice to prevail,” the victim’s brother said.

Quetta: At least six people were injured on the third day of a gun-battle between paramilitary forces and Bugti tribesmen in the Dera Bugti town yesterday. Rocket attacks on Frontier Corps bases and checkpoints were reported from Loti, Kohlu and Nal areas and landmines were found and defused in other areas.

All roads leading to Dera Bugti remained closed because of the gun-battle and landmines. People still inside the town were reported to be facing shortage of food and other items of daily use, the Dawn reported.

Quoting sources, the paper reported that buildings and shops in the town were hit as tribesmen and security forces continued to target each other’s position with rockets and mortar shells on Wednesday night. A number of shops and houses were gutted in the Bugti bazaar, they added.

The sources further said that a fresh attack was launched on tribesmen’s positions at around 11am using rockets, mortar shells and other heavy weapons in the attack. “Security forces have sealed all roads connecting the Dera Bugti town to Sui and other areas,” they said adding that a number of people wanted to leave the troubled area but they were stranded in the town and villages.

Meanwhile, according to a separate report in the paper, some local government representatives of Kohlu district in Balochistan have demanded the “release” of a senior member of the Marri tribe who, according to them, was ‘kidnapped’ by the government intelligence agencies in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Mir Colonel Qadhafi said his brother Mir Asghar Khan, who is the head of Pirdadani sub-clan of the Marri tribe, was picked up in a joint action by the Dera police and some plainclothesmen on Jan 28 last when he, along with his seven-year-old son Rehan, was passing by the Fareedi Bazaar in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Colonel Qadhafi said being an elder of his tribe, Mir Asghar had addressed a press conference in Multan a few days before his kidnap to express concern over the ongoing military operation in his native Kohlu district. He said Mir had pointed out human rights violations in the Marri area.

He further said if the government had any allegation of criminal nature against Mir Asghar, he should be produced before a court of law so that he could exercise his right to defend himself.

Meanwhile, the tribesmen have filed a habeas corpus petition with the Multan bench of Lahore High Court. “We just want justice to prevail,” the victim’s brother said.

Over 70 rockets fired at Dera Bugti FC fort, other buildings

DERA BUGTI: Over 70 rockets fired at FC fort, civil colony and other official buildings in district Dera Bugti of Balochistan.
Dera Bugti District Coordination Officer Abdul Samad Lasi talking with Geo News said that over 70 rockets fired at FC fort, civil colony, police station and other official buildings in the area on Friday. Frontier Corps personnel responded the firing, he said.
Armed men have occupied the Sangseela road near Dera Bugti and established bunkers and laid mines in the area, he further said.

He said water supply pipelines at Loti and Pirkoh gas fields blasted recently couldn’t be repaired due to landmines in the area. He apprehended closure of the gas fields if water supply was not restored.
www.geo.tv/main_files/pakistan.aspx

The Baluchi battlefront
Maruf Khwaja
1 - 2 - 2006

www.opendemocracy.net/conflict-india_pakistan/baluchi_3232.jsp

Pakistan's western province is in the grip of a violent insurgency whose roots lie in the political misuse of communal traditions as much as in oppression by the central government in Islamabad, argues Maruf Khwaja.



Is Pakistan's western region of Baluchistan burning? Are its bitterly contested gasfields aflame? Are fuel supplies to Pakistani cities, which rely wholly on the national Sui gas grid, being cut off?

Baluchi insurgents manning half a dozen websites, and some of their Indian propagandists, claim it is so. Reports of attacks on the major port project at Gwadar on the Arabian Sea coast – whose principal funder is (who else?) China – spread. Pakistanis say it is "another little local difficulty" and they are dealing with it. Gas supplies are being maintained despite the attacks. The huge plant at Sui, smack in the centre of "hostile" Bugti territory from where the rest of the country gets more than 60% of its gas, is apparently intact and "well protected".

From outside Pakistan not much can be seen past the usual smokescreens that governments under siege always put up. And if he isn't under siege, President Pervez Musharraf will have to redefine the dictionary meaning of the word. He has only one "fire-brigade" and perhaps a dozen fires to put out hundreds of kilometres apart. On 30 January, reports the Karachi-based Dawn newspaper, "45 rockets were fired that exploded in different areas of the Pir Koh gasfield" while a powerful explosion rocked Hub, an industrial plant forty-five minutes' drive from Karachi. The target was a court building.



Among Maruf Khwaja's writings on openDemocracy:

"The suicide of fundamentalism" (August 2001)

"The past in the present: India, Pakistan, and history" (August 2002)

"Becoming Pakistani" (August 2004)

"Terrorism, Islam, reform: thinking the unthinkable"
(July 2005)

"Muslims in Britain: generations, experiences, futures" (August 2005)

"Pakistan's mountain tsunami"
(October 2005)

If you find this material enjoyable or provoking, please consider commenting on it in our forums – and supporting openDemocracy by sending us a donation so that we can continue our work for democratic dialogue

The upsurge and extension of the violence in Baluchistan is causing jitters even among Americans. A United States congressman has reportedly written to secretary of state Condoleezza Rice expressing his concern "at the all out assault in Kohlu and Dera Bugti" using all types of sophisticated weaponry against people "merely demanding their rights" and more than the 12.4% royalty on the gas taken from their territory. He demanded a cessation of the campaign and return to negotiations.

But President Musharraf is having to open yet another battlefront. In Baluchistan he is doing exactly what his predecessors did. The first confrontation with warring tribes was in 1948, when Pakistan was barely a year old; the second came in 1958-59 when Ayub Khan – freshly empowered by Pakistan's first army coup – unleashed his army on the "unruly" tribesmen of eastern Baluchistan. He thought he had tamed them but had to repeat it all in 1962-63 when rebels regrouped, aided and abetted by a Soviet-Afghan-Indian tripartite alliance. There was enforced silence till 1973 when the hydra-headed "monster" rose again and was again crushed, this time by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Direct news from the front is scarce. But a score of Baluchi "liberation" organisations and several "retired" Indian civil servants suggest that outright rebellion by well-armed Baluchis is well underway. That and Musharraf's response will severely test yet again both his and his country's resolve to survive another decade of struggle and strife.

The sardars' cage

Pakistani Baluchistan (there is one in Iran too) is home to only 7% of its population, but contains more than half of its territory and most of its mineral resources – the gainful exploitation of which is at the root of the Baluchistan problem., It's a challenge to daunt the most ruthless and well-resourced despot, and Musharraf is neither. His army of more than half a million is seriously overstretched. Containing or suppressing yet another rebellion is a tall order for a fighting force stuffed with mullah types more loyal to their own kind than to a whisky-guzzling, dog-loving modern general.

Baluchi tribes, centred around the eastern hills of the region, have been at it since the days of the British Raj when musket-toting tribals, getting in the way of 19th-century colonial wars, were more amenable than today to bribery in cash and kind and other inducements to civilised behaviour. But those were cheap days – pennies bought sardari loyalty that a million wouldn't today, and the British weren't looking for oil or protecting gas pipelines from trained, determined saboteurs.

A century and a half ago the Bugti ancestor of one of the three big sardars (tribal chiefs) now taking on Musharraf was the first to be lured into modern civilisation with a mere knighthood. When they couldn't win over a key "troublemaker", the Brits simply bypassed his fiefdom leaving the tribe and its sardar alone to conduct their usual pursuits of raiding settlements, highway robbery, contract murder and kidnapping – their main and sometimes only source of income. Their modern Pakistani successors are not so flexible and look upon such perpetrators as enemies of the country.

As a result partly of their remoteness in relation to central India, Baluchi tribes (including today's principal troublemakers – the Bugtis, Marris and Mengals) took little or no part in the sub-continent's freedom struggle. The Khan of Kalat, ruler of the largest fiefdom covering the southern half of the province (Kalat was once synonymous with Baluchistan and extended well into eastern Iran) wielded the greatest influence; but when he demurred it needed the personal intervention of Pakistan's founder to ensure that he took the whole region into Pakistan. The astute Muhammed Ali Jinnah, Pakistan's father and first leader, quickly contained the turmoil this involved.

Although Presidents Ayub (1958-69) and Yahya (1969-71) Khan each had a go in their own special ways at taming the "tigers" of Baluchistan, it wasn't until Bhutto came into power that the attempt assumed what some call genocidal proportions. Nearly 100,000 troops were deployed in the 1973 crackdown. Critics say that this assault is perhaps responsible for the fact that the Baluch nationalist movement is stronger today than it was then. But it has to be said that before unleashing the troops, Bhutto tried other ways to assimilate the fierce, insular tribes – including abolishing the sardari nizam, the age-old feudal system that gave the tribal sardar absolute power over his people. Sardars made their own laws; indeed, their word was the law.

A few weeks after the abolition, Bhutto's propagandists invited a posse of us journalists to see at firsthand how the system had operated. What we saw turned our blood cold. On sheer rocky cliffs were holes closed by iron grilles where a sardar could encage his enemies for as much of their life as he willed – sometimes all of it. The prisoner would boil in the summer and freeze in the winter for crimes as momentous as failing to pay the sardar his tax dues or marrying without his permission.

We dutifully interviewed a few liberated prisoners and even published a story or two. It was a painful experience. Many "convicts" had stumps where limbs used to be, without tongues or with mutilated ears or noses. Some had simply been driven mad.

Between tradition and liberation

Bhutto had naively attempted to change overnight an ancient socio-political structure formed in antiquity. It resembled his other reforms – over-ambitious, legally flawed and poorly or selectively implemented – and went the same way. For it provoked the sardars into momentarily giving up their internecine warfare to form a united front against change. Bhutto tried hard, within the limits imposed by his enormous ego, to win them over: appointing a governor and a chief minister from their ranks, raising oil and gas royalties (which went straight into the sardars' foreign bank-accounts) and increasing Baluchi job quotas.

It was all for nothing. Sardars insisted on even more concessions; one demand met would be replaced by ten more. So it went on until Zia ul-Haq took power in 1977, hanged Bhutto, and played his Islamic card. The sardari struggle went more or less underground, and its leaders dispersed. Khair Bakhsh Marri, the most militant and uncompromising among the bigger chiefs (and a cardboard Marxist to boot) went into exile in Moscow – sulking, planning, and raising anti-Pakistan propaganda with the help of the communists and (according to Pakistan) his Indian sponsors. Ataullah Mengal ensconced himself in a comfortable London flat. Akbar Bugti spent most of the Bhutto era commuting between his palaces and Bhutto's prisons.

The sardari campaign to protect their "tribal identity" and "traditions" went on to assume the form of an all-out liberation struggle that echoed the circumstances surrounding the break-up of Pakistan in 1971. The terminology of the "freedom fighters" at the height of Bhutto's crackdown included talk of "Punjabi exploitation", of Baluchis being swamped by Pakistani "foreigners", of a threat to a culture and the danger of mineral wealth being stolen. The grievances multiplied, from denial of lucrative jobs in the gas industry to lack of educational facilities and hospitals.

But Pakistanis defending their government's record in Baluchistan point to an annual toll of thousands of murders and kidnappings of soldiers, doctors, teachers, nurses, engineers and road-builders. Who would want to go and swamp such a place? Well, the homeless, jobless quake-hit victims of the October 2005 "mountain tsunami" in Kashmir might. They have been streaming towards Baluchistan in search of the livelihood they lost back home. The tribals don't want them either. As for job quotas in the oil and gas sectors, Pakistanis point out that this is a competitive industry run by foreign contractors who win exploration contracts after costly bidding, then employ only people who give value for money. Baluchi tribals, taking their cue from native Gulf Arabs whose lifestyle they envy and wish to emulate, are accused of being averse to hard labour and wanting everything for nothing. The reason for employing outsiders, the argument goes, is because they are willing to work for their money.

Pakistani nationalists also accuse the sardars of stubborn resistance to social change. This includes deliberately keeping their people, particularly women, ignorant in case modern education corrupts them with the "wrong" ideas. Ignorant people are easier to control and suppress. Democracy, then, goes against the sardari grain.

But a sardar's own immediate kin get the best education, and if it isn't available nearby he is willing to travel far for it. Akbar Bugti, Baluchistan's most influential sardar and for nearly seventy years the Bugtis' undisputed leader – he committed his first cold murder at the age of 12 – went to the same Lahore college as the cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan. Two of his kin went to my school in Karachi and so did those of Attaullah Mengal, another ostensibly leftwing "progressive" sardar. Some indeed who escaped the tribal grip became productive, responsible citizens.

A few sardars resort to wholesale deportation of their own people if they find any "rebellious" tendencies among them. The current army action in Dera Bugti apparently encouraged a 200-strong group of Kalpars, a sub-clan of the Bugti tribe, to return last week to the homes from where they had been "expelled". Five rockets landed on the ragtag caravan as they neared home, and they had to be sheltered at a government "safe" settlement.

A clash of certitudes
There are parallels with the Bangladesh breakaway but a number of factors differ from the 1971 scenario Bengalis enjoyed a homogenous culture and language, were ethnically uniform and had an undisputed leader. The people of Baluchistan are more diverse: the territory contains ethnic groups that speak languages other than Baluchi (Brohi-, Sindhi-, and Saraiki-speakers from the provincial borders, Urdu-speaking Muhajir who came from India, and settlers of Punjabi origin). These non-Baluchi speakers are better educated, like being Pakistanis and tend to dislike the "savages" from the hills.

Less numerous but more politically involved in the country's affairs than the tribals are Pashtu-speaking Pathans of northeastern Baluchistan. The Pathans and Baluchis have not always been on the best of terms, though they did find common ground during the last days of Soviet rule in Afghanistan when Islamist Pathan marauders would make hit-and-run raids on Afghan border villages whose menfolk had been conscripted by the Kabul regime to fight the Mujahideen. The marauders would return with the conscripts' womenfolk, regarded as maal ghanimat (war booty) – possessed under Islamic law by the "left hand" of the saleheen (righteous) conquerors and resold as slaves. Some would be snapped up by tribals despairing of ever being able to raise the high bride-price for Baluchi girls demanded by their own kinfolk.

Once the Taliban were ousted in November 2001, the common ground vanished and both sides returned to their mutual loathing– Baluchi tribals holding all bearded fundamentalist Pathans to be mullahs and the Pathans condemning tribals as filthy savages who paid only lip-service to Islam.

The three million or so settlers from the other three provinces and from Karachi, who bring valuable skills to the region whatever the belligerent Baluchi tribals say, cannot be ignored. The wealth of Baluchistan belongs to all of its citizens whatever their ethnic or linguistic origin. It also belongs to the rest of Pakistan where there are pockets of poverty and deprivation as bad as any in Baluchistan, and much more numerous.

No country as desperately poor as Pakistan would willingly give up oil and gas resources. The Baluchi rebels reject Pakistani sovereignty over oil and gas fields outright. They want all the revenues to go to them, but in addition the Marris among them also want to auction exploration rights for the oil they are reputedly sitting on, and to export it directly to foreign markets or by pipeline to India – and keep the proceeds. They have seen what indescribable, unimagined wealth oil has brought to a handful of wandering Bedu and they want exactly the same for themselves in exactly the same proportion. Pakistan, they say, can go to hell. Not, reply Pakistanis, if we can help it.

i think it's time up to erase pakistan from the world map. and shame on indian medias for not covering it. i do not understand to whom this great country is afraiding of.

Date : 2006-02-06
Six killed in clashes in Southern Pakistan
By Iqbal Hussain Khan Yousafzai - Reporting from Islamabad


Islamabad, 06 February (Asiantribune.com): At least six people have been killed in clashes following Tribesmen blown up a gas pipeline in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province.

Police officials said that the clashes erupted after armed militants fired more than 200 rockets and mortar shells at a major base of Pakistani security forces in the area.

One of the rockets landed near PPL defence security guards and killed two security personnel identified as Mohammad Noor and Mukhtar Ahmad.

Some of the rockets hit civilian population at the Bogra Colony in Sui, which resulted in the death of four persons Dost Ali, Chachol, Ali Hassan and Mazar, while in the Kahan area of district Kohlu two vehicles of the security forces hitting a landmine got damaged, however, no loss of life was reported in this particular incident.

Both attacks took place in the district of Dera Bugti, about 350km (250 miles) from the provincial capital, Quetta.

The situation in Balochistan has deteriorated with increasing violence between rebels and security forces.

Dera Bugti is Pakistan's main gas producing area.

The district co-ordination officer, Abdul Samad Lasi, said a gas well and 60-feet gas pipeline were damaged in the attack.

"These people have also planted landmines on major roads in Dera Bugti, and we are advising people to avoid travel until we clear the landmines," Lasi told reporters.

One security personnel was injured in the rocket attack on the base of the paramilitary Frontier Corps which also damaged nearby government buildings, Mr Lasi said.

Tribal militants in Balochistan, the source of Pakistan's main gas reserves, are demanding greater control over natural resources.

They are said to be led by Nawab Akbar Bugti, the leader of one of the most powerful tribes in the area.

The army launched a major crackdown last month after rockets were fired during a visit by President Pervez Musharraf.

- Asian Tribune –

The Balochistan Crisis – Part One
Date: Sunday, February 05 @ 12:51:03 PST
Topic: Articles and Reports

www.newscentralasia.com/modules.php

Amicus
Situated in the southwest of the country, and spread over 347,190 sq km, the province of Balochistan comprises 43% of Pakistan’s territory. In the west it has common borders with Iran and in the northwest with Afghanistan. In the south, Balochistan has a long coastline on the Arabian Sea. Greater part of Balochistan is mountainous, although there are some plains and desert areas also. The terrain is generally barren and rugged. The land of Balochistan is rich in mineral resources. Apart from gas, it holds deposits of coal, copper, silver, gold, platinum, aluminum and uranium. It is also said to possess oil in substantial quantities.

Balochistan has an estimated population of 7,000,000, (according to the census of 1998 it was nearly 6,511,000) which comes to about 4½ % of the total population of the country. A little over half of this population is ethnically Baloch. The second largest ethnic group in Balochistan is that of the Pashtuns, which has concentration in the northern part of the province and along its border with Afghanistan. Nearly 70% of the total Balochi population lives in Balochistan and other provinces of Pakistan, whereas about 20% inhabits the southeastern Iran or what is Irani Balochistan. There is a considerable population of the Balochis in Afghanistan also.

The Balochis have preserved their ancient tribal structure. Each tribe or tuman has its chief and consists of several clans. Generally, the attachment to the tumandar i.e., the tribal chief is very strong and the Balochis blindly follow him.

The prominent Balochi tribes in Pakistan are Mengal, Marri, Bugti, Mohammad Hasni, Zehri, Bizenjo and Raisani. Differences between tribes and clans are not uncommon.

Describing the lifestyle of the Balochi people, Encyclopedia Britannica observes:
“The Balochis are traditionally nomads, but settled agricultural existence is becoming more common; every chief has a fixed residence. The villages are collection of mud or stone huts; on the hills, enclosures of rough stone walls are covered with matting to serve as temporary habitations. The Balochis raise camels, cattle, sheep and goats, and engage in carpet making and embroidery. Their agricultural methods are primitive.”

The Balochis are not the indigenous people of Balochistan. These tribal people, it is said, originally lived on the Iranian plateau. As a result of the Seljuq invasion of Kerman in the 11th century, they started their migration eastward. It was not until the 14th century that the Baluchis started to enter the region that is presently Pakistani Balochistan. In the 17th century, the Mughals occupied greater part of Balochistan and, in the 19th century, the Persians conquered its western part. In 1839 the British, who had established themselves in India, made their presence in Balochistan to protect their lines of communication during the First Afghan War. They initially withdrew in 1841, but soon returned to assume a permanent role by concluding treaties with local rulers and tribal chieftains.

Amongst the tribal chiefs, the Khan of Kalat enjoyed the central position. The British regarded him “as a de jure head of the tribes rather than as a de facto ruler of a state” and “as the Head of a Confederacy with the Confederates exercising full or partial independence and the Khan customary over lordship.”[1] In 1877, the British carved out what came to be known as the British Balochistan, a region that was brought under their direct control and included the city of Quetta.

To strengthen their hold, the British restored the prestige and dignity of the tumandars that was lately in a state of decay. They administered nearly 90% of the territory in Balochistan through the tumandars who were paid allowances.

Under what is known as the Sandeman system, the British employed “the tribes as custodians of the highways and guardians of the peace in their own districts”. In a memorandum dated 1890, Sir Robert Sandman, the British official who was the architect of this system, observed:

“All military experts, however, without exception, declare it to be necessary to secure Afghanistan from Russian aggression in British interests and for the defense of India. . . . . The policy which I advocate has given us Baluchistan, the position at Quetta and on the Khojak, in Zhob and on the line of the Gumal. . . . If we knit the frontier tribes into our Imperial system in time of peace and make their interests ours, they will certainly not oppose us in time of war, and as long as we are able and ready to hold our own, we can certainly depend upon their being on our side.” [2]

Although occasionally there were some troubles, this policy served the British imperial interests well in the Balochistan States and the British Balochistan. Despite persistent demands on the part of Indian political parties for introduction of constitutional reforms, even British Balochistan was not granted the status of a full-fledged province by London in any of the Government of India Acts.

When the time for British departure from India came, the 3rd June Plan provided that the future of British Balochistan was to be determined by a voting college comprising the Shahi Jirga ____ excluding the representatives of the Balochistan States ___ and the elected members of the Quetta Municipality. The Khan of Kalat, Mir Ahmad Yar Khan, who dreamed of an independent Balochistan under his overlordship, Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo, an emerging Baloch nationalist, and Abdus Samad Khan Achakzai, avowed Gandhian and the leader of Indian National Congress, made their best efforts to prevent the voting college from opting for Pakistan. Their efforts failed and the vote taken on 29 June 1947 went in favour of Pakistan amidst unproven charges that the British had exercised their influence to obtain the verdict.

The case of Balochistan States was quite different, as they had specific treaties with the British Crown. Oil had already been discovered in the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf, and it seems that the Khan of Kalat cherished the dream of a Baloch Kingdom on the lines of the House of Saud in Arabia or the Pehlevi Dynasty in Persia. [3] Although the British declared in the Government of India Act, 1935, that Kalat was an Indian state, the Khan had serious reservations about the British view, which he duly communicated to the British on more than one occasion.

Arguing Kalat’s case before the Cabinet Mission in 1946, the Khan contended that after the withdrawal of the British and termination of the treaties, Kalat would become independent, and other Baloch regions, including the States of Kharan and Las Bela, and the Marri and Bugti areas would revert back to it.

On the day the British transferred power to the dominions of Pakistan and India i.e., 15 August 1947, the Khan issued a firman (decree) declaring the independence of Kalat and announced establishment of a bicameral legislature for the State. Initially, the Khan was able to gather considerable support for his designs for independence but, before the firm resolution of the Quaid-i-Azam, he did not succeed.

The Khan’s maneuvering to secure an independent state failed and, on 17 March 1948, the States of Kharan, Mekran and Las Bela applied for accession to Pakistan. On 26 March, the Pakistan government informed the Khan that it had decided to move troops to protect installations in Jiwani, Turbat and Pasni.

The message was loud and clear for any sensible person to understand. The next day, the Khan of Kalat wrote to the Quaid:

“Confirm to you clearly that I agree to accession to Pakistan. But at the same time I hope you will consider all claims and rights of Kalat which I have frequently presented to you. I am trusting in your good intentions and sense of fairness to preserve the ancient state of Kalat in the same way as you has brought Pakistan into existence.” [4]

To cut the story short, even after the British Balochistan and the Balochistan States became a part of Pakistan, some reservations did persist in a section of the Balochi population, and the Khan of Kalat found it difficult to reconcile himself to the reality that his state was an integral part of Pakistan.

In 1952, the States of Balochistan __ Kalat, Mekran, Kharan and Las Bela __were permitted to form ‘The Balochistan States’ Union’.

In 1955, these States were made a part of the ‘One Unit’ or the single province of West Pakistan to facilitate the framing of a constitution on the basis of the principle of ‘parity’ between the two wings of the country. But by mid 1957 it became apparent that the political system established under the Constitution of 1956 was not likely to survive.

Anticipating the break-up of the ‘One Unit’, it is alleged, the Khan of Kalat organized a rebellion to secede from Pakistan. On 6 October 1958, under the order of President Iskandar Mirza, Pakistan Army took control of the Kalat Palace and arrested the Khan on the charges of sedition. Another version is that it was the result of a plot hatched by Iskandar Mirza who wanted one more justification for imposing martial law.

He had encouraged the Khan to demand restoration of his state, and the Khan fell into the trap. On 7 October, Iskandar Mirza imposed martial law on the country, and on 27 October 1958, the Chief Martial Law Administrator, General Mohammad Ayub Khan, removed Mirza as the president to assume full authority.

The arrest of the Khan led to disturbances in some parts of Balochistan that continued for about a year. It was during these disturbances that the sad episode related to Nauroz Khan, one of the Khan’s Sardars, occurred leaving lasting scars on the Balochi psyche. After fighting for several months, Nauroz Khan agreed to surrender to the government of Pakistan.

It is claimed that his surrender was secured through ‘etabar’ or oath on the Holy Quran. But instead of given amnesty by the government, he and his companions were tried in a military court and convicted. The government rejected their mercy petitions and seven of them were hanged. This episode made Nauroz Khan a hero in the Baloch folk-lore and the government of Pakistan untrustworthy in their eyes. The Khan of Kalat was subsequently forgiven and freed.

Although the Marris were radicalized during the 1960s, which resulted in some serious problems in 1962, the next major “insurgency” in Balochistan surfaced in 1973. Under Yahya Khan’s martial law, ‘One Unit’ was abolished and an integrated province of Balochistan, comprising former Balochistan States and directly governed Balochistan territory, was created on 1 July 1970. In the General Elections of December 1970, the National Awami Party (NAP) and Jamiat-ul Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) secured majority of seats in the Balochistan Provincial Assembly. After the traumatic events of 1971, which delayed the transfer of power, they formed their coalition government in Balochistan under the Interim Constitution of 1972.

This government, in which Sardar Attaullah Khan Mengal was the Chief Minister and Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo the Governor, was dismissed by the federal government in less than a year on the charges that it was receiving arms from foreign countries and preparing for rebellion or secession. Before the dismissal of the Balochistan government, arms and ammunition, allegedly meant for supply to Baloch separatists, were discovered in a raid on the Iraqi Embassy.

The actual reasons for dismissal of the NAP-JUI government were many: President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (he was not then Prime Minister) was not prepared to let the provincial government headed by the opposition parties function and pursue a separate agenda, the military establishment had suspicions about the NAP due to the past affiliation of many of its leaders with the Congress, their alleged links with India and the Soviet Union and their association with the ‘Pakhtunistan’ movement. The Shah of Iran did not like the democratic institutions to flourish in Pakistani Balochistan for that had the potentials to destabilize Iranian Balochistan; and he also pressed Bhutto to act.

As a result of the dismissal of popularly elected government, an unprecedented uprising took place in Balochistan in which the Marris were in the forefront and Sher Mohammad Marri became a legendary figure. The casualties on the sides of the rebels and the government troops were in thousands. Reportedly air power was also used and the insurgents had to withdraw to the mountains from where they conducted guerrilla warfare.

Ironically, Sardar Akbar Bugti, the tumandar of the Bugti tribe, and Ahmad Yar Khan, the Khan of Kalat, were on the side of the federal government under Bhutto and were duly rewarded for their roles.

The insurgency continued from 1973 to 1977 when General Zia-ul Haq staged a coup to oust Bhutto and arrived at an understanding with the incarcerated NAP leaders and the rebels.

The Balochistan Crisis – Part Two
Date: Sunday, February 05 @ 12:58:04 PST
Topic: Articles and Reports

www.newscentralasia.com/modules.php

Amicus
Continued from Part One
With this background in mind we come to the present situation in Balochistan that needs to be looked at from domestic and international perspectives, for it is far more complex than what had been happening in the past.

The geopolitical changes in the post-Cold War period, together with the cataclysmic events related to 9/11, have imparted great importance to Balochistan and dragged Pakistan into what is referred to as the new ‘Great Game’, which is all about control of, and access to, the energy resources of Central Asia. In this regard, the following facts need to be highlighted:

1. The Central Asian Republics are rich in oil and gas resources. They are landlocked and in dire need of a corridor for export of their energy resources and a transit route for trade and commerce.

2. China has produced an economic miracle during the last decade or so. To maintain the momentum of its growth, China has three sets of requirements:

a) Transit trade route for its western region
b) Energy corridor to import oil from the Gulf region
c) Naval facilities or foothold on the Arabian Sea coast to protect its energy supply line from the Middle East.

3. India’s growth rate is also spectacular. For catering to its increasing energy requirement, it needs to look towards the Central Asian Republics and Iran. Its long-term strategic objective is to dominate the whole Indian Ocean region from eastern parts of African continent to South East Asia. It has its own version of ‘Monroe Doctrine’ for South Asian Subcontinent where it seeks absolute and exclusive hegemony.

4. The United States is pre-occupied with the obsession to maintain its super power status. To prevent the rise of any rival, be that China or any European power, the United States desires to dominate the Middle East and Central Asia, for they are rich in oil and gas resources. Apart from ‘war on terror’ and bogey of weapons of mass destruction, American occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq should be seen in the context of its quest for world hegemony. The United States wants to command important sea-lanes, be that the Strait of Malacca, the Strait of Hormuz or the Suez Canal.

5. Due to its common border with Afghanistan, the United States considers Balochistan territory as important for military operations against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. In fact, the United States has military bases in Dalbandin and Pasni on the Balochistan coast.

Fully mindful of the tremendous opportunities at hand, Pakistan government has embarked upon or envisaged a number of projects that have potentials to change the destiny of Balochistan.

The most important of all the projects is the Gwadar port that is being developed with the financial and technical assistance of China. The agreement for the construction of this deep-sea port on the Arabian Sea coast of Balochistan was concluded in 2001. The work on the project began in 2002 and its first phase was completed in January 2005. The Gwadar Port is situated at a distance of 725 km from Karachi and 72 km from the Iranian border and on completion it would serve as a transit route for Central Asian Republics as well as China.

The Gwadar Port would help China in enhancing its energy security by offering a transit terminal for oil imports from the Middle East and the Gulf region. At present the bulk of oil imported by China has to pass through the Strait of Malacca, a route that is quite long and increases the risk factor in abnormal times due to American presence in the region.

China is very much concerned about its energy security, and is, acquiring different facilities in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand. [5]

After completion of the second phase, the Gwadar port would be able to receive oil tankers with a capacity of nearly 200,000 tons. Obviously it is not exclusively meant for China and a number of countries would use the facilities at Gwadar when it becomes the gateway to Central Asia.

Apart from a source of earning, the Gwadar Port is important for Pakistan from strategic and defense point of view. During the war of 1971, India had successfully blockaded the port of Karachi that could have choked the economic lifeline of Pakistan. There was a serious apprehension in the midst of the Kargil confrontation in 1999 that the Indian Navy might try to do the same again. To strengthen its naval defense, Pakistan has completed the construction of Ormara base.

Now, the Gwadar Port would not only be a relatively secure alternative port for Pakistan but with Chinese presence it would be a strong impediment for India in the realization of its hegemony in Indian Ocean region. During the 1970s, Pakistan had supported American naval presence in the Indian Ocean, including its plan to develop the Diego Garcia military base, to counter Indian domination. With the United States and India coming closer for their strategic objectives, it is extremely important that China makes its presence felt for the same purpose.

As stated above, Balochistan has the potentials to offer energy corridor to the Central Asian Republics. In this regard, there is a plan to construct a gas pipeline from Daulatabad to Gwadar via Afghanistan for onward export to South East Asia. For this purpose, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan have already concluded an agreement.

Lately this project was overshadowed by Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project to be completed at a revised cost of $ 7 billion. Signed in January 2005, India has an agreement with Iran under which Iran is to supply 7.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas annually to India from 2009 for next 25 years. The proposed gas pipeline project, if completed, would fetch $ 700 million per annum for Pakistan. India and Pakistan are under intense American pressure to give up the project.

The United States and India are in the process of finalizing a deal on transfer of advanced nuclear technology from America to India for use in civilian nuclear program. As quid pro quo, the United States has demanded opening up of Indian civilian nuclear facilities for inspection by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and abandonment of Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project.

In a recent statement, General Pervez Musharraf has asked for “compensation” if Pakistan agrees to drop the idea of implementing this economically lucrative project. The United States has no objection on Turkmenistan – Afghanistan -- Pakistan or Qatar – Pakistan gas pipeline and extension of any of them to India.

In case sanctions are imposed on Iran or the United States opts for military strike to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, these alternative projects may go ahead first.

Without proper infrastructure the real potential of Balochistan could not have been realized. Therefore, the government has planned to construct a network of roads linking Gwadar with Karachi, Pasni, Ormara and Turbat. This Coastal Highway will reach the Iranian border at Gupt. Simultaneously, the whole network would be connected to the Indus Highway and through it to China.

There is also an agreement concluded between Pakistan, China, Kazakhistan, Kyrgistan and Uzbekistan for development of railroad to link Central Asia and Xin Jiang province of China with the Arabian Sea Coast. [6]



In shaping its foreign policy Pakistan has given due consideration to the sensitivities and capabilities of the external players as would be evident from the discussion below:

The Chinese have vital interest in sovereignty, political independence, security and territorial integrity of Pakistan. In politics one does not have permanent friends or foes but because of the nature of China’s stakes in Pakistan it can be relied upon to stand by Pakistan in thick and thin. Both China and Pakistan have identity of interests in denying India any hegemonic role in the Indian Ocean.

Therefore, China’s presence on the Balochistan coast of Arabian Sea is beneficial for Pakistan. China is also expanding its cooperation with Pakistan in Saindak project. It is also a positive sign that Pakistan is not prepared to play any role in American design to contain China and is not willing to offer any facilities to the United States that may be considered as detrimental to Chinese security interests. All credit goes to the Musharraf government for concluding the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Good-Neighborly Relations with China on 5 April 2005 that has provisions to the above effect. [7]

The United States does not seem to be very happy with the Chinese role in Balochistan. In the first place, it goes against the America policy which is to develop India as a counterpoise to China in the Indian Ocean region.

Secondly, Chinese presence at Mekran Coast, right at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, which enhances China’s energy security and enables it to intercept communications of American military bases in the Gulf and to monitor naval movements in the region, is something unpleasant for the United States. Therefore, it may be in the interest of the United States to let Balochistan remain disturbed to an extent where progress on mega projects slows down.

By promoting Balochi nationalism, America can also hope to create problems for Iran in its Balochistan. However, the United States is in a dilemma because it realizes that the Pakistan government may have to rely on Islamic militants to counter the Balochi nationalists and that would have a negative impact on its so-called ‘war on terror’.

Frederic Grare, an ex-diplomat and expert, (presently with Carnegie Endowment Trust in USA) on South Asian affairs, has expressed his opinion in a recent study that “the Pakistan army (allegedly) exercises its power by manipulating Islam to weaken Baluch nationalism.” [8]

He may be right. However, Americans and other stake holders in the region should be vary of pushing Pakistan into a situation that may coerce Pakistan into making such compulsive choice in its National interest.

American dilemma is likely to restrain it from supporting the nationalists in Balochistan in any meaningful way. The United States ought to be well aware that by making any move that may antagonize Pakistan, it would only push that country further towards China.

The other option for the United States is to work for creation of an independent Balochistan. But that is an extremely risky business and may plunge the whole region into turmoil with China fighting a proxy war against America. With its hands full in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States cannot afford to go for such an option.

The unrest in Balochistan is in India’s interest for various reasons: First to impede China from projecting its power in the Arabian Sea that India wants to be its domain. Secondly, to prevent Pakistan from offering safe transit route to Central Asian Republics, so that they opt for alternative Afghanistan–Iran route. India has been investing on Zaranj-Delaram road to facilitate trade links with Central Asia via Iran and Afghanistan. Thirdly, to apply pressure on Pakistan that it should give up support to militancy in Kashmir.

The opening of Indian consulates in Jalalabad and Kandhar has facilitated the RAW in its activities inside Balochistan. Indian statement on the situation in Balochistan was a blatant interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs and was duly rebuked.

By continuing with composite dialogue with India and minimizing the level of infiltration, Pakistan is ensuring that India also shows restraint in Balochistan as a quid pro quo. Pakistan’s decision not to back or encourage full-fledged militancy is itself a built in leverage of sort.

India knows that if it crosses the threshold of Pakistan’s tolerance by enhancing its involvement in Balochistan, Pakistan could substantially increase promotion of militancy in Indian occupied Kashmir.

India does not have direct physical contact with Balochistan and that restricts its capability to intervene in Balochistan.

However, if India does not retract its present overt and covert overtures and flirtation with the disgruntled Sardars (Tribal Leaders) from its so-called diplomatic missions in Afghanistan, Iran and its South Block, it may qualitative hurt the composite dialogue and ancillary CBMs. Pakistan having direct borders with Kashmir is fully capable of tit for tat.

Provided Pakistan remains committed to the policy of non-interference in Iranian affairs and does not offer its territory to the United States for use against Iran, there is no reason for Iran to foment trouble in Balochistan.

In fact it is not in the interest of Iran that Balochi nationalism becomes strong in Pakistan, for that may spillover into Iranian side and revive the idea of ‘Greater Balochistan’. Very sensibly Pakistan has resisted American pressure to work for regime change in Iran and this is a guarantee that Iran would refrain from interfering in Pakistani Balochistan.

In the light of international constraints and compulsions, we may conclude that Pakistan is playing its cards well on the external front.

With the announcement of the mega projects, Balochistan started to simmer. The foremost reason was that the Pakistan government decided to tighten its hold over the province. It was felt that implementation, security and operation of the mega projects required greater and more direct control of the federal and provincial governments over the Balochistan territory.
For this reason and its threat perceptions and National Security concerns, the federal government announced the establishment of three cantonments, which was resented by Baloch nationalists and certain tribal chiefs.

In March 2005, the Prime minister of China was to inaugurate the first phase of the Gwadar Port when all of a sudden in January the level of insurgency reached new height and Sui erupted like a volcano on the pretext that a Lady Doctor posted there had been raped by some army officer.

The inauguration ceremony at the hands of the Chinese Premier had to be cancelled. To sort out the issues a special committee was set up, but no final solution could be achieved.

During the year 2005 there were 187 bomb blasts, 275 rocket attacks, 8 attacks on gas pipelines, 36 attacks on electricity-transmission lines and 19 explosions on railway tracks. At least 182 civilians and 26 security personnel were killed. [9] The situation took a particularly ugly turn when on 14 December 2005 President Musharraf went to visit Kohlu for announcement of a development package and rockets were fired at him. Subsequently, an army helicopter carrying the Inspector-General Frontier Corps (IGFC), Maj-General Shujaat Zamir Dar and his Deputy Brig. Saleem Nawaz, was fired at.

The government launched a para-military action that targeted training camps but the Baloch nationalists claimed that several women and children were killed. Since then bomb blasts and attacks on government installations of all kinds has become a routine and there have been incidents of sabotage in Punjab and Sindh. The official version is that a number of guerrilla training camps have been destroyed and selective action is being taken against the miscreants.

The crux of the Balochistan problem is that some of the tribal chiefs, in particular Mir Khair Bukhsh Marri, Attaullah Khan Mengal and Nawab Akbar Bughti, are not prepared to give up the privileged and effective position that they enjoy under the remnant of the Sandeman system. They are vehemently opposed to conversion of indirectly-controlled ‘B’ category territory into directly-controlled ‘A’ category territory for simple reason that it would undermine their authority and prestige.

However, the Baloch nationalists, including the tribal chiefs, have other complaints also:

1. They perceive the policies of federal government as against their national aspirations and demand recognition of ethnic identities in ‘multi-national’ Pakistan. The nationalist leaders refer to past experiences of Baluchistan with Pakistan government, in particular during the crises of 1958 and 1973-1977.They insist on greater provincial autonomy, including recognition of their rights on natural resources and ports, something that the federal government finds difficult to concede.

2. The middle class Baloch nationalists resent the fact they do not have proper representation in the armed forces and civil administration.

3. The Baloch nationalists also contend that the federal government ignored the economic and social development of Balochistan during last six decades. Potable water is not available in several parts of Balochistan. It lags in education. There is hardly any industrialization in the province. Even Sui gas, which was discovered in 1953, was first supplied to big cities of Sindh and Punjab.

4. The present mega-projects, according to the Baloch nationalists, are meant for the benefits of people from other provinces who would in due course colonize Balochistan converting the ethnic Balochis into a minority. They give the example of Sindh where the provincial government is at the mercy of non-Sindhis and anticipate the same future for Balochistan if unhindered influx of population from outside Balochistan in the name of development is allowed.

5. They resent the manner in which the mega projects have been conceived. Important jobs have gone to non-Balochis. The entrepreneurs from other provinces, in particular developers and builders, are minting money. Non-Balochis have benefited a lot from land speculation. Profitable contracts have gone to the armed forces personnel.

6. The Baloch nationalists are unanimously against the construction of cantonments in Kohlu, Sui or any other place.

7. In the past, the Bhutto government had failed to break the resolve of the Marris and Mengals, despite heavy deployment of troops and use of air power. According to one estimate some fifty-five thousand tribesmen fought against seventy thousand Pakistani troops during the 1973-77 insurgencies. The situation may not be much different today.

The common Baluch, uneducated and nurtured in tribal culture, has strong commitment to his chief and military action may lead to the involvement of the Pakistan Armed forces in a protracted and costly conflict. It is easy said than done that Pakistani troops can flush out the miscreants or destroy their sanctuaries.

No doubt, the Baloch nationalists do not seem to have strength to secure separation of Balochistan, but they do have the capability to damage transport and communication network at will through guerrilla warfare.

The sons of Khair Bukhsh Marri have established a foreign-based network to receive financial support and arms and ammunition. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is said to be under their control. Akbar Bugti has his own force of about ten thousand tribesmen.

These tribal chiefs have managed to establish training camps where hundreds of disgruntled youth have been taught in use of weapons. The insurgents can also finance their war through drug-trafficking. The Pakistan government may be stretched to ensure security of pipelines, highways, railway tracks, electric towers and communication installations in sporadically populated and territorially vast Balochistan.

Given its own limitations and precarious geopolitical situation in the region, the preferable option for Pakistan government is to go gradually for the introduction of reforms in the existing administrative system.

Rather than imposing from above, let the urge for reforms come indigenously at appropriate time. Both the sides__ the government and the tribal chiefs __ have shown their muscles. It’s the time if the tribal chiefs offered a guarantee that development infrastructure and installations related to mega projects would be not be targeted, they should be taken on board and due monetary benefits from mega-projects be shared with the tribal chiefs in greater national interests.

As regards other Baloch grievances, there cannot be two opinions that the provincial autonomy enshrined in the Constitution of 1973 be granted in letter and spirit, more jobs be reserved for locals in the development projects, the share of Balochistan in the award of National Finance Commission be enhanced and necessary legislation, to the satisfaction of all genuine concerns of Balochis, be done regarding the settlement of non-locals in Balochistan as a result of mega-projects.

As regards establishment of cantonments, they should be proceeded with as the National Interest demands securing the borders, safe guarding the coastline, precious economic, geo-strategic, (land bound and maritime), national interests.

If the Baloch nationalists are not prepared to accept these conditions, the Pakistan government would have legitimate reasons to resort to selective military action against the miscreants.

About the author: Amicus is the pseudonym of Mohammed Yousuf Advocate, a Lawyer based in Karachi. He has written extensively on current affairs, with reference to South and Central Asia. He can be reached on mohammedyousuf-AT-hotmail.com


References
1. A.B. Awan, Baluchistan: Historical and Political Processes, London: New Century Publishers, 1985, p. 201.
2. Quoted in Khalid B. Sayeed, Politics in Pakistan: The Nature and Direction of Change, Newyork: Praeger Publishers, 1980, pp. 3-4.
3. A.B. Awan, op.cit., p. 189.
4. Quoted in ibid., p 211.
5. For detail, see Sudha Ramachandran, “China’s Pearl Loses Its Luster”, Asia Times Online, 21 January 2006.
6. Wilson John, “Gwadar and the China Angle”, The Pioneer, New Delhi, 4 January 2005.
7. Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, “New Level of Friendship with China”, Dawn, Karachi, 9 April 2005.
8. Frederic Grare, Pakistan: The Resurgence of Baluch Nationalism, (Carnegie Paper), Washington D.C.: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Number 65, January 2006, p. 3.
9. Sudha Ramachandran, op.cit

Pakistan will break into Pieces , says noted Pakistani defense analyst Aiyesha Siddiqi 

http://radio.indymedia.org/news/2006/02/8426.php 

Pakistan will break into Pieces , says noted Pakistani defense analyst Aiyesha Siddiqi 

http://radio.indymedia.org/news/2006/02/8426.php 

India, which usually maintains a discreet silence, last month expressed concern over what is going on in Baluchistan only to be told by Pakistan to mind its own business. Pakistan's Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao charged India with 'supporting the miscreants' and Pakistan's former Army Chief Aslam Beg and a former chief of ISI, General Hamid Gul (retd) went further to charge both India and the US with fomenting trouble in Baluchistan.

'The terrorists who are fighting in Baluchistan are friends of India and foes of Pakistan. That is the only reason the Indian government has expressed concern against military operations in the province', Gul said. In the first place may it be said that India's official comment has been minimal. In the second place there is no reason why India should not make any comment considering that Pakistan has been actively interfering with India's internal affairs in Jammu & Kashmir since 1946. Indeed, though India has not been helping the Baluchi rebels with arms and equipment, it would be entirely within its rights, considering what jihadi forces have been doing in Jammu & Kashmir. It is about time India made that clear to Islamabad. But it pays for Pakistan to make wild and vile charges against Delhi. Thus Musharraf himself told the TV channel CNN-INN that India was providing the Baluchi nationalist forces which he said were 'anti-government and anti-me' with 'financial support and support in kind'. This has been ridiculed by Nawab Akbar Khan Bagti, who is now leading the Baluchi insurgents. He told The Hindu in a telephonic interview: 'What is the need for us to take anything from anyone? The weapons we are now using came into this region when the United States financed the jihad in Afghanistan. It was the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) which distributed them to Afghanistan, Iran, Jammu & Kashmir - and to us in Baluchistan'. Apparently the ISI-distributed weapons are easy to get besides being cheap in the bargain. The point, however, to be noted is that Baluchi tribal leaders are fighting on their own and don't need Indian support. They have been fighting consistently in the past because they have a distinct culture and tradition and an autonomous history that does not permit Pakistani - in essence Punjabi military - dominance. As in the case of former East Bengal, Baluchistan has no cultural affiliation with Pakistani Punjab; indeed Baluchis resent the Punjabis' domination and Islam is not - and never has been - a binding factor. Baluchistan, incidentally, constitutes 42 per cent of Pakistan's landmass and if Baluchistan succeeds in winning independence, as did East Bengal, then it won't be long before Sindhis, too, claim independent status. And that would reduce Pakistan to a joke. Musharraf is acutely aware of it. But will the Baluchs succeed? If Stephen Cohen is to be believed 'Baluchistan is an unlikely candidate for a successful separatist movement, even if there are grievances, real and imagined, against a Punjab-dominated State of Pakistan' because 'it lacks a middleclass, a modern leadership and the Baluchs are a tiny fraction (about 5 per cent) of Pakistan's population and even in their own province are faced with a growing Pashtun population'.

Also, according to Cohen, 'neither Iran nor Afghanistan shows any sign of encouraging Baluch separatism because such a movement might encompass their own Baluch population'. Even worse, Baluchs have little domestic resources. In the circumstances it would make no sense for India to encourage Baluchi separatism unless the idea is just to keep the Pakistan Army engaged. That by itself is not a bad idea. Indeed it should be prescribed tactic to tell Islamabad that interfering in the internal affairs of one's neighbour is a game at which two can play. If Pakistan claims that Jammu and Kashmir have a right to autonomy if not independence, why should not Delhi insist that the same right can also be claimed by Baluchistan and with greater justification? Meanwhile what is clearly evident is that Jinnah's Two Nation Theory stands entirely exposed. Think this over, General Musharraf.

Source : newstodaynet.com/guest/3101gu1.htm

DERA BUGTI: Fire engulfed the fort of Nawab Akbar Bugti in the Dera bugti town after massive explosions in the wee hours of Tuesday.

DCO Dera Bugti Abdul Samad Lasi told Geo TV that loud sounds of explosions were heard from house of Nawab Akbar Bugti and flames of fire were seen emitting out of it afterwards.

He said Nawab Akbar Bugti and his family had left the Bugti House couple of weeks back. He was of the view that reason of the blast would be blaze in piles of weapons and arms, stored in the Bugti House.

Meanwhile, unknown miscreants blew up 24-inch pipeline of Uch gas field in limits of Chattrao police station, district Naseerabad.

Police said miscreants had planted explosive device with the pipeline that blew up the pipeline.

According to government sources, gas supply to Uch power plant had been suspended and there was apprehension of halting the plant.

Oman expels 725 Pakistani immigrants

www.pakistanlink.com/Headlines/Feb06/08/14.htm

KARACHI, Feb 08 : A cargo ship, carrying 725 Pakistanis deported by Oman for illegal entry, arrived in Karachi port on Wednesday.

The expelled Pakistani job-seekers, who arrived in ‘Al Muhammadi II’ ship from Muscat, were in pathetic conditions as they remained in jails for months before being deported, a rights group said.

Mr. Sarim Burney, Incharge Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International said his group helped in the return of Pakistanis with the cooperation by the governments of Pakistan and Oman.

“Most of the deportees were illiterate and poor and were in bad condition when they arrived in Karachi port,” he said.

Syed Sarim Burney said the Trust provided food, clothes and shoes and journey fare to the deportees so that they could reach homes after clearance from Federal Investigation Agency.

Several deportees said that they were badly treated during detention and that there are still hundreds of Pakistanis in Omani jails.

Thousands of Pakistanis, seeking employment, try to enter the oil rich countries in the Middle East illegally.

Efforts are underway to bring back the remaining Pakistanis from Oman, the officials said.

The Ansar Burney Welfare Trust said that these Pakistanis were found guilty of traveling on fake or forged documents, illegal entry or overstaying their visas.

All the jobseekers went to Muscat by crossing Pak-Iran borders illegally near Mand Ballu in Balochistan for better employment after paying money to human smugglers and fake agents.

The fake agents and human smugglers did not provide them job in Muscat.

According to Ansar Burney Welfare Trust, over one hundred thousand Pakistanis have been brought back in three years.

--------------

www.geo.tv/geonews/details.asp

NEW YOKR: Fifty one Pakistani national were deported on Tuesday from United Stated through a special flight.

They were arrested for staying illegally in USA and some of them also had criminal charges, however no detail of their crimes was provided.

Bugti’s Balochistan fortress deserted

* DCO says three killed in ammunition dump fire
* Residents leaving Sui after Kalpar tribe resettlement

www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp

By Azizullah Khan

QUETTA: The fort of Nawab Akbar Bugti in Dera Bugti caught fire on Monday night as the last employees of the tribal chief vacated the building, a Bugti spokesman said.

Dera Bugti District Coordination Officer Abdul Samad Lasi said that an arms and ammunition dump in the building had caught fire and security forces found three tribesmen’s bodies in the deserted fort. “We recovered three bodies, all appeared to have been hit by splinters from exploded ammunition,” he said. He said the Nawab’s employees probably set fire to the ammunition dump before they fled the fort.

Asked how the fort had caught fire, tribal spokesman Shahid Bugti told a press conference at the Quetta Press Club that security forces had intensified attacks on the building in recent days, and mortars had hit five vehicles of Nawab Bugti. He denied that anybody had been killed.

Lasi said security forces on Tuesday captured three suspected training bases used by the tribesmen and seized rocket launchers, rockets, bombs and AK-47 rifles. They also arrested two men as they were planting an anti-tank land mine on the road between Dera Bugti and Sui.

Bugti said at least 75 people, mostly women and children, and 62 security personnel have been killed in 38 days of military activity in Dera Bugti. The government has given no death toll on either side since it launched an operation in areas of Balochistan controlled by the Bugti and Marri tribes in December.

The government says the sardars of these tribes run private militias which have repeatedly attacked government-owned infrastructure in the province and security officials, including a rocket attack on Gen Pervez Musharraf when he was visiting Kohlu on December 14 and an attack on the head of the Frontier Corps paramilitary force.

As part of its strategy to establish its writ and wrest control of areas from tribal chiefs, the government last week relocated members of the Kalpari Badlani sub tribe in Sui, from where they were exiled 10 years ago by a tribal jirga.

According to reports from Sui, residents started leaving the town soon after the government resettled the Kalpar Badlani sub tribe. Locals said that the resettled tribals were forcing them to leave. Many have left for Dera Murad Jamali, Kandhkot and Shikarpur.

The Kalpars were expelled from the area 10 years ago on the decision of a jirga. Locals says the tribal dispute started when Kalpars were killed and Nawab Akbar Bugti’s son was named as the accused, though he was later declared innocent. However, Salal Bugti, another son of the Nawab, was then killed in Quetta in 1992. Shahid Bugti said a jirga then decided in 1996 that the Kalpars must leave the area

Dire Prophecies

www.outlookindia.com/full.asp

In 1992, an analyst predicted that Balochistan could become the third richest oil-producing country after Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The clock is ticking and the Musharraf regime must move swiftly for a political situation, where the strong are just and the weak secure....


AMIR MIR

Almost prophetically, over 14 years ago, Abul Maali Syed, evolving scenarios for Pakistan in the year 2006, predicted, in his book The Twin Era of Pakistan: Democracy and Dictatorship (New York: Vantage Press, 1992):

<i>Who would have believed that Balochistan, once the least populated and poorest province of unified Pakistan, would become independent and the third richest oil-producing country after Saudi Arabia and Kuwait? Who would have thought that this vast terrain was impregnated with vast reservoirs of oil and gas? The development in Balochistan was neglected and whenever a tribal chief spoke about the plight of their people, the Pakistan government shoved the barrel of a gun at him and silenced him. Today, having lost East Pakistan, Balochistan, Sindh, and part of Seraiki belt, Pakistan is still entangled with Pakhtoon tribes on her northern border and is no more in a strong position to hold on to the Pakhtoon area much longer.</i>

While this scenario is still far from realization, a cursory glance at Balochistan in 2006 clearly shows that the situation in this strategically important and largest province of Pakistan is following an ominous trajectory, with Baloch nationalist violence escalating into what could soon become a major insurgency. The law and order situation in Pakistan’s resource-rich but poorest Balochistan province continues to spin out of the government’s control amidst a massive military operation being carried out against the rebel Baloch nationalists, who, as yet, are just demanding greater political autonomy and a bigger share of revenues from their huge gas reserves and other natural resources.

Balochistan has been in the news for over a year now because of frequent clashes between armed Baloch nationalists and the Pakistan Army, which have already led to a massive military operation in parts of the province that are under the influence of the Bugti and Marri tribes. The government says that local tribal chiefs and the nationalists are responsible for ‘creating a law and order situation’ because they are opposed to development in the province. The tribal chiefs and nationalists, however, complain that they are constantly being denied their due share of the income from huge gas coffers and that they have been excluded from both the development as well as the political process to the advantage of the Pakistan Army which is using development to extend its presence and influence in the province.

The current operations in the Marri and the Bugti areas started after President General Musharraf’s visit to Kohlu, the administrative headquarters of the Marri tribal area, on December 15, 2005. On his arrival, eight rockets slammed into a Frontier Constabulary (FC) camp on the outskirts of Kohlu. The following day, the Director General and the Inspector General of the FC were injured in firing while surveying the area. The FC, backed by regular troops stationed in the Sui area, launched a massive operation against ‘miscreants’ in both the Marri and Bugti areas. The military as well as the government continues to emphasise that no military operations are underway, and only the paramilitary FC is engaged in rooting out miscreants. Both Balochistan Governor Owais Ghani and Chief Minister Jam Yousuf have stated that 1,000-2,000 fararis (rebels) are holed up in camps that are being targeted by the security forces. They have tried to allay fears regarding civilian casualties stating that no civilians are to be found in the vicinity of the farari camps.

Since the areas under siege have been sealed off by the troops, the only sources of information on the situation are official spokesmen or Baloch nationalist leaders. Irrespective of whether one chooses to take on board all that both the sides are saying, it is undeniable that a major conflagration is in progress. The latest reports of Kohlu being deprived of power by the blowing up of electricity pylons, as well as rocket and bomb attacks in Sibi, Harnai, Naushki and Turbat, suggest that the fire is spreading to new areas in the province. The security forces may claim to be confining themselves to targeting the farari camps, but in aerial strafing and bombing, avoiding collateral civilian casualties is beyond the scope of even the most sophisticated armies. While the fighting rages and spreads in Balochistan, voices of concern from other parts of the country are steadily getting louder.

The opposition parties in Pakistan have criticized ongoing operations, demanding an immediate halt and the initiation of negotiations with the Baloch leadership. The Nawaz Sharif-led Muslim League and the Benazir Bhutto-led People’s Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami, led by Qazi Hussain Ahmad, have all condemned the military operations in Balochistan, in the process delivering dire warnings of the dangers of trying to resolve essentially political problems through the use of force. In a joint resolution adopted by the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) at its emergent meeting in Islamabad in the last week of January 2006, the opposition parties demanded that the government call off the Balochistan operation, dust off the parliamentary committee reports on the Balochistan issue, and try to re-engage the Baloch leadership with the weapon of negotiations rather than the language of weapons.

An adamant Musharraf, however, insists that those resisting the military operation in Balochistan were ‘foreign agents’ who are opposed to development in the province and would have to be dealt with an iron hand. Consequently, as things stand, the fifth civil-military war in Balochistan since independence in 1947 has escalated to a worrying degree. The sputtering insurgency led by the Baloch nationalists is fast being transformed into an all-out internal war between the forces of the Centre backed by the Punjab-dominated military establishment and the Baloch people.

Taking notice of the Balochistan imbroglio, the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Asma Jahangir, led a fact finding mission to Balochistan in January 2006 to collect first hand information and to verify the flood of reports being received by the Commission about the use of heavy weaponry against the Baloch nationalists by the Pakistan Army and the scale of armed conflict in parts of Balochistan. Giving a first hand account of the actual happenings in Balochistan, Jahangir told this writer that the ongoing militarization of the province in the name of development had provoked the current crisis. "The people of Balochistan believe that the real motive behind the setting up of new cantonments in the province was to completely take over their natural resources, particularly in Kohlu and Dera Bugti."

Commenting on the government’s repeated denials of having launched a military operation and its claims that it was only trying to deal with a law and order situation in Balochistan where a ‘few miscreants’ were involved, Jahangir stated: "However, our findings are very different. Having visited the troubled areas of the province, particularly Dera Bugti and Kohlu, we found evidence of a full-fledged military operation being carried out.

The Army is also involved in the operations because there have been helicopters flying over, there has been aerial firing and in some places also bombardment. The disproportionate use of force, mass arrests of civilians and the lack of accountability of state agencies amount to a grotesque violation of the most basic rights of citizens." Jahangir also disclosed that, since just December 31, 2005, the military operation inflicted at least 50 civilian fatalities, including women and children, besides causing injuries to dozens. She said the local population had been subjected to indiscriminate bombing and the dead even included some Hindus, many of whom had been forced to leave their homes due to the fighting.

The chief of the Bugti tribe, Nawab Akbar Bugti, however, insists that the military operation jointly being carried out by the Army and the Air Force since December 15, 2005, had killed over 300 people, mostly women and children. The Baloch leader added further that over 50,000 regular Army troops are currently deployed in Balochistan, in addition to over 30,000 personnel of the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC). The latest phase of violence has taken a serious turn because the military operation has been extended beyond the Kohlu area. Though official circles are emphasising that military action is limited to the dissidents’ camps and the tribesmen attacking government installations or the troops, unofficial and independent sources talk of the brutal impact on ordinary people who have been forced to migrate to other areas. The information on military operations being provided by the Army’s spokesman is not corroborated by independent news sources.

The stepping up of military activity in Balochistan appears to herald the collapse of the peace process that was initiated by the government last year, which was meant to push for a political solution. Despite the fact that the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Balochistan constituted by the centre had already submitted its recommendations to the government in June 2005, no step has been taken towards their implementation. The Committee had made sweeping proposals for enhancement of gas royalties to the Province and clearance of arrears, amendments to the Concurrent List, changes in the National Finance Commission Award, provincial autonomy, and the development of gas-rich areas. Unfortunately, however, the political negotiations track is dead, and the only dialogue being conducted in Balochistan is the dialogue of opposing firepower. Where that will lead can only make one shudder.

Most political observers in Pakistan disagree with the commando-style handling of the Balochistan situation by Musharraf and fear that the use of brute force may inflame the state of affairs and the localised insurgency could escalate into a major security nightmare for the General, who comes from the Special Service Group (SSG) of the Army. The Baloch nationalists are clearly gaining support against a military dictator who they accuse of exploiting their rich natural resources without providing benefits to the Baloch population. As a matter of fact, the ‘armed terrorists’ in Balochistan, Musharraf often refers to, are not foreigners but Pakistani citizens. Observers say they may well be highly unpatriotic, even treasonous, yet they are still to be accorded the rights due to any other Pakistani citizen. They argue that the mistake made by the establishment in East Pakistan is now being repeated in Balochistan.

The matter of solving the Balochistan dispute is no more about settling a single problem, such as the exploitation of the province’s natural resources, the setting up of new cantonments, or the continuing hostility and tension surrounding the natural gas reserves.The matter is fundamentally about Pakistan’s basic political direction, whether or not the country is to become a stable and prospectively progressive state. If this is, in fact, the case, the only way to deal with the problem is to give the people of Balochistan the rights that have been denied to them. The use of brute force will only cause further alienation, leaving them with no option but to fight for their genuine economic and political rights. The clock is ticking and the Musharraf regime must move swiftly for a political situation, where the strong are just and the weak secure.

Amir Mir is Senior Pakistani journalist affiliated with Pakistani Monthly Newsline and Dubai-based Daily Gulf News. Courtesy, the South Asia Intelligence Review of the South Asia Terrorism Portal.

Baloch nationalism on rise: Bugti
QUETTA, Feb 12 (Online): The Balochi nationalist and head of the Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) has said that Baloch nationalism is on the rise , and the government should simply trade in the "legitimate rights" of "Balochs" for lasting peace in the region.

He said that he was amused and amazed at the threats and strong worded statements of the government, who were simply beating about the bush.

Talking to Online via satellite phone, he said that Balochis were killing and getting killed. He claimed heavy losses suffered by governmental forces, which had to be airlifted by at least two helicopters. He also accused the government of using chemically treated bombs in Sangsella area, which are causing various infectious diseases among the common masses of the region.

When inquired about the spate of "struggle", he said that he has no idea about the "mind and soul" of government but the "resistance fighters" are carrying on their struggle according to "their own will".

He claimed that Balochi masses are also fully supporting the "fighters", because they (masses) have full faith in the "sincerity of their cause".

Replying to a question about being "in touch" with the government, he denied any such contacts, except for threats and strong worded statements being conveyed via media sources.

Expressing his views about merger of three BSO factions, he lauded the act and said that " better to be late than never". He said that he expected such spirit among the youths of Balochistan, who would hopefully prove themselves to be "practical lions of future".

He also strongly denied any kind of separatist movements, and any involvement of "foreign hands" in the ongoing conflict in the region. He said that government had fabricated such blames for its own nefarious ends, to hide its own incapacities and mismanagements.

Replying to a question about talks with government, he simply brushed aside any such endeavors as simply a waste of time and irrelevantly non-conducive.

Referring to recent statements of Governor of Balochistan, he chided them as just an over painted versions of earlier statements and policies. He said that Governor is just trying to fool the masses by his elaborate statements.

He expressed his amazement with the Governor inability to guard the frontiers of the province, enabling resistance fighters to smuggle in weaponry worth Rs 50 crore, as is being alleged by the government.

Replying to a question about the effect of vacating the city of Dera Bugti, he denied that it had in any way demoralized the "resistance fighters". He claimed that the action had rather enhanced the resistance, because the FC personal have to tackle to pure targets, which is difficult for them to attain.

He also deplored and chided the registration of false police cases against the Bugti clan, and accused "the lions of government " of looting spree in Dera Bugti.

Replying to another question he informed that currently there are about 20,000 forces stationed in Bugti region. In recent days about 150 heavily armed troops have also reached the environs of Kashmore, from where is reaching Sui very soon.

Killing innocents has been the forte of the Pakistanis, either using proxies as in Kashmir, or through direct aggression as in Balochistan. And yet, onehas PTV telling the world of human rights abuses in Kashmir by the Indians and the Indian army in particular. One would also like to question the Indian politicians who want to ignore such massacres in Pakistan on the plea of bettering relations with its neighbour.

All Not Quiet On The Western Front

Dissent on the Durand Line, troubles in North Balochistan, the NWFP and FATA...Pakistan reframes its quest for 'strategic depth' by using Taliban/Al Qaeda to prevent the Kabul regime from stabilizing without a pre-dominant Pakistani role.

KANCHAN LAKSHMAN

www.outlookindia.com/full.asp

President Pervez Musharraf said after talks with his visiting Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai in Islamabad on February 15, 2006, that terrorism was a common enemy and the two countries had to combat it together. And while Afghanistan, under intense pressure from spiraling terrorist violence, accused Pakistan of failing to stop the Taliban from launching cross-border attacks and suicide bombings, General Musharraf only responded by calling on "all the progressive political elements in Pakistan" to suppress those who ‘may be abetting the Taliban’.

A few days before the Karzai visit, a large Pashtun convention in Peshawar, capital of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan, had called for the erasure of the British-created ‘imaginary’ Durand Line, which functions as the technical border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Speaking at the rally after an unanimous resolution called for the removal of the 2,640-kilometer-long Durand Line, Asfayandar Wali Khan, Chief of the Awami National Party (ANP), said that it was imperative to do away with the illusory line which, the Pashtun supremo declared, had artificially separated the Pashtu-speaking people for over a century.

The Durand Line designates the shoddily marked 2,640-kilometer-long border between the two countries. After being defeated in two wars against the Afghans, the British, in line with their famed ‘divide-and-rule’ policy, succeeded in 1893 in imposing the Durand Line between what was then British India (now the NWFP and Balochistan of Pakistan) and a truncated Afghanistan. Named after Sir Mortimer Durand, the then Foreign Secretary of the British Indian Government, the border, arguably, was erected to divide the Pashtun tribes whom the colonial empire considered formidable adversaries. The treaty, strongly opposed by the then Afghan Amir (chief) Abdur Rahman Shah, was to be in force for a 100-year period.

Citing the example of the Berlin Wall, Asfayandar Wali Khan now advocates a separate state for the Pashtuns, obliterating the Durand Line. "It's a line whose time has ended", Asfayandar who is the grandson of Khan Abdul Gafar Khan, revered as the ‘Frontier Gandhi’ in this part of the world, proclaimed. The ANP, which, just days before the convention, had merged with the Pakhtoonkhawa Qaumi Party, is widely believed to be articulating a position that finds favour with a majority of Pashtuns living on either side of the border. At the Pashtun convention, sources indicate, many from the various Pashtu tribes. endorsed the view for the creation of a separate Pashtun state. The average Pashtun has, for long, hoped that the Durand Line will be erased to enable Pakhtoons living in the NWFP, parts of North Balochistan and in the tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan to form a state of their own. Incidentally, within Pakistan, the NWFP, Balochistan and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are currently witnessing extensive unrest and anti-state violence.

Pakistani insecurities on the Afghan front are directly related to the contested nature of the Durand Line. Most Afghans (and Pashtuns) believe that the Durand Line should rightly have been drawn much further South, at Attock, and this is what the Afghans will inevitably press for when their country is strong enough. Within this context, it is useful to note that, south of the Durand Line, in what are currently the Pakistani NWFP and FATA, land records, police, legal and administrative records still refer to the people as 'Afghan'.

The Taliban, as has been documented extensively, exists on both sides of the border. While they have obviously been weakened, they retain substantial subversive capacities.

With Islamabad’s strategy to quieten the chaotic Waziristan region along the Afghan border having failed, the mountainous terrain along the Durand Line provides a secure pathway and safe hideout for the Taliban and Al Qaeda On February 17, Afghan television channel Tolo broadcast video recordings of men beheaded in Pakistan because they opposed the presence of Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorists there. The macabre images showed the heads of three men being held up in front of a crowd, which chanted "Long live Osama bin Laden" and "Long live Mullah Omar." "The footage... shows half a dozen dead bodies being dragged by a vehicle through the streets of Mandrakhel [in Waziristan] – while a uniformed Pakistani military officer drives past without interfering," Tolo stated.

Afghan officials have consistently asserted that Taliban and Al Qaeda operatives are coming in from Pakistan, where they are reportedly based in areas of the NWFP, FATA, and also from Balochistan. Afghanistan has given Pakistan detailed information about members of the Taliban who, Kabul says, are orchestrating an insurgency from Pakistani soil. On February 18, President Hamid Karzai told a News Conference at Kabul, "We gave our brothers a lot of information, very detailed information about individuals, locations and other issues", referring to the intelligence handed over to the Pakistani authorities. Karzai, according to noted Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid, handed over extensive intelligence dossiers to Musharraf, containing details of how suicide bombers who attack targets in Afghanistan are being recruited, trained and equipped in Pakistan. The dossiers reportedly include the names and addresses of Pakistani recruiters, trainers and suppliers. "In places like Karachi, Pakistani extremist groups working on behalf of the Taliban for a fee carry out the recruitment and then bring them to safe houses in Balochistan for training and equipping with the (suicide) vests," said a senior Afghan official who accompanied Karzai. The official said that all top Taliban ‘commanders’, including Mullah Mohammed Omar, are known to be living in Pakistan and the issue had been repeatedly raised with Pakistan.

Taliban have regrouped rather well along the Afghan countryside, particularly in provinces along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Unsurprisingly, violence is significant near the Pakistan border. The subversion that targets Afghan provinces close to Pakistan, like Paktika, is a reality despite the fact that Islamabad has deployed approximately 80,000 troops on their side of the border. The burden of evidence suggests that the Taliban/Al Qaeda have in fact been provided space by the military to operate in the Pakistani areas along the border. Notably, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, an Islamist alliance with close links to the Taliban, governs Balochistan and the NWFP.

The security establishment in Afghanistan, including coalition intelligence sources, has indicated a disturbing shift in terrorist tactics, with the Jihadis increasingly adopting 'Iraq-style' suicide attacks. At least 30 suicide bomb attacks have killed nearly 100 people since November 2005, most of them claimed by the Taliban. There are 200 to 250 Fidayeen (suicide squad members) ready to go into action, Mohammad Hanif, a Taliban spokesperson, disclosed to Western journalist Scott Baldouf. And the more recent violence in Afghanistan indicates a widening geographical expanse of subversion, with the Taliban and Al Qaeda orchestrating attacks beyond the Taliban's traditional stronghold in Kandahar and Uruzgan.For instance, thus far in 2006, terrorist violence has been reported from Helmand, Herat, Konar and Nangarhar provinces, in addition to an escalation of fighting along both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The U.S.-led coalition suffered at least 99 fatalities in 2005, the highest toll since 2001, and overall terrorist violence in Afghanistan during 2005 claimed at least 1,500 lives.

Assisting the Pakistani and Taliban strategy is the regrettable reality that the Karzai regime has little control over southern and eastern Afghanistan. The end-game that Islamabad seeks to achieve, while reframing its quest for 'strategic depth', is to prevent the Kabul regime from stabilizing without a pre-dominant Pakistani role. Anything contrary to this would mean an increase in the dissent on the Durand Line, and a further destabilization of North Balochistan, the NWFP and FATA.

Rocket attack on Balochistan minister's home kills one

www.newkerala.com/news2.php

Islamabad: One person died and eight were injured when the home of a regional minister was attacked with rockets by suspected militants in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, police said Sunday.

The region's senior police officer, Ghulam Dogar, told DPA that the "miscreant" Saturday night fired two rockets on the resident of Abdul Qudus Bezenjo, Minister for Livestock, in the regional capital Quetta and killed his security guard and injured eight guests.

"The rockets were fired from around 300 yards and they hit the drawing room where guests were sitting," Dogar said, adding that the minister and his family were unhurt.

He said at least five suspects had been arrested from the city in the connection with the attack.

The mineral-rich southwestern province of Balochistan has been the site of sporadic violent attacks on government and military installations, allegedly by nationalists fighting for provincial autonomy and bigger royalties from gas drilling in their areas.

Rockets fired at Pak minister’s house, one dead

www.mumbaimirror.com/nmirror/mmpaper.asp#

AP

Quetta: Assailants yesterday fired rockets at the home of a Cabinet minister of Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province, killing a guest and wounding eight others, police said.

Two rockets struck the home of Abdul Qudus Bezinjo, minister for livestock and dairy, after midnight in a western neighbourhood in Quetta, Baluchistan’s capital, said Ghulam Mohamood Dogar, a senior Quetta police officer.

The minister was not at home at the time of the attack.

One rocket hit a perimeter wall at the minister’s home while the second slammed into a guest room, killing a guest, Dogar said.

The injured included some of Bezinjo’s relatives and a private security guard, he said.

No one claimed responsibility, but Dogar blamed renegade tribesmen.

Tribesmen have been accused of small bombings and rocket attacks on security force and gas fields in a campaign for increased royalties for resources extracted from their territory.


Militants attack Pakistani Minister's home / Routine

date: 26 02, 2006


Islamabad, Feb. 26 (BNA) The home of a regional minister was attacked with rockets by suspected militants late Saturday in Pakistan's restive Balochistan, killing one person and injuring eight others, police said Sunday.
The region's senior police officer, Ghulam Dogar, said that the "miscreant" fired two rockets on the resident of Abdul Qudus Bezenjo, minister for livestock, in the regional capital Quetta and killed his security guard and injured eight guests.

Rockets fired at Kohlu FC check post

www.geo.tv/main_files/pakistan.aspx

KOHLU: Some unknown armed persons fired three rockets at the Frontier Corp (FC) check post in the district Kohlu of Balochistan, but there was no loss of life.

FC sources told that the armed persons from nearby hills in the tehsil Kahan area fired three rockets at Bahadur Shaheed check post, which landing in a desolate area near the check post exploded, but there was no loss of life.


One killed, 8 injured in rocket attack in Balochistan

www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-235/0602265971142524.htm

Islamabad, Feb 26, IRNA

Pakistan-Attack
Unidentified men fired rockets early Sunday at the house of cabinet minister of Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, killing his guard and wounding eight others, a police officer said.

Two rockets struck the house of Abdul Quddus Bizinjo, Minister for Livestock after midnight in the Railway Housing Society in Quetta, the Baluchistan's capital, said Senior Superintend Police operations Ghulam Mohammed Dogar told reporters.

The minister's guard died on the spot, while eight injured were taken to a civil hospital in Quetta, two of them in a critical state.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack while police has detained four persons for questioning.


Guard killed, 8 hurt as Balochistan’s minister home comes under rocket attack

www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php

QUETTA: One guard was gunned down and eight others sustained grievous injuries when some unidentified miscreants fired two rockets at the house of Abdul Qadoos, Balochistan’s livestock Minister here in Railway housing society.

Senior Superintended Police (SSP) Operation Quetta said, some unidentified saboteurs fired two rockets at the home of Abdul Qudoos in wee hours of Saturday and Sunday leaving security guard Rehmat dead on the spot while eight others received serious injuries.

The injured were rushed to civil hospital Quetta. Two of the injured are said to be in critical condition.

Police arrested four-suspected men for investigation. The deceased was the guest of Minister, some dwellers of said area said. Police sources said it is still ambiguous who was the target Minister or guest.

Security guard of Minister launched retrieve attack but it proved fruitless.



Gwadar seaport to be operational by middle of this year

www.pakistanlink.com/Headlines/Feb06/26/04.htm

ISLAMABAD Feb 26: The Gwadar Seaport will be functional by the middle of this year after completion of additional dredging of the channel to 14.5 meters, making it the deepest port of country and transshipment port for the region.

This was conveyed to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in a meeting of Gwadar Port Policy Board chaired by him here at the Prime Minister House yesterday

The dredging of Gwadar Port channel to 14.5 meter which has been undertaken by a Chinese Company will make it a regional hub, as it will enable the port to receive the mother vessels.

The cargo dropped by the mother vessels will be taken to Karachi and other regional ports by the feeder vessels or trucks.

Prime Minister Aziz said, the completion of Gwadar Port will generate substantial economic opportunities for Balochistan and usher in a new era of development and prosperity for the people of this area.

The meeting was attended by Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Senior Minister for Defence, Jam Muhammad Yousuf, Chief Minister, Balochistan, Babar Khan Ghouri, Minister for Ports and Shipping and senior officials

Two Afgan refugees camps to be closed in Balochistan

QUETTA: Pakistan officials have informed Afghan refugees in Balochistan that their camps would be closed down in few months and that decision has been taken due to security reasons.

In this regard, BBC quoted UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch as saying that the government has asked refugees, living in Gardi Gengal and Gengal Pir Alizai camps to return to Afghanistan because these camps would be closed down on April 30.

There is sub commission of Pakistan, Afghanistan and UNHCR. During the commission meeting, it was decided to close refugee camps in Gardi Gengal and Pir Alizai, he added.

The refugees Affairs have given option to voluntarily return to Afghanistan or shift to Muhammad Khel camp if they have any problem to return to their country, he said.

Meanwhile, Head of Afghan Refugees Affairs in Islamabad, Imran Zeb said that the government was closing these camps due to security reasons because several suspects were hiding there.

It may be recalled there is ten other camps in Balochistan where more than two lakh refugees is living.

To all those interested in exposing violations of Baloch human rights by the Musharraf regime:

Get ready to be in Geneva, Switzerland during the UN Sessions on Human Rights etc. , March 26-31, 2006. We may have some free lodging arrangement in/near Geneva ... Your contributipons will be welcome. This may also give us an opportunity to meet and plan coordination of our activities for the future ... in/near Geneva. I will try to be in London and/or Stockholm during the following week/s for the same purpose.

Get ready your banners and literature in various languages. I suggest that each banner should be in English followed by only one other language e.g., Chinese, French, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu etc.

To all the Baloch and sympathisers of the the Baloch Cause who can afford:

Your finanacial support is needed to conduct activities for the Baloch cause internationally. Get your contributions ready.

I need and will appreciate your feedback, words of wisdom and suggestions. Keep in touch.
Balochistan Libre,

Malek Muhammad Towghi, Ph.D.,
General Liaison, Baloch HumanRights International
drmalektowghi-AT-yahoo.com

Fuck you all. Fight each other and die. I wish America carpet bombs Karachi, burns Lahore, demolish Islamabad and nuke Quetta and Peshawar.
Every Pakistani should be put in concentration camps and napalmed. Glad i left FUCKISTAN!

Musharraf must be told some harsh home truths
Foreign Editor's Briefing by Bronwen Maddox


www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2061267,00.html

PRESIDENT BUSH will arrive in Pakistan at the end of the week after a couple of days in India, no doubt exhilarating, and full of colour and chatter about the future of technology.
Landing in Pakistan, he should acknowledge that he is in a much darker place, never mind Pakistan’s status as a favorite ally. He should not duck the task of telling President Musharraf that democratic reform is needed urgently.



Nor should he delude himself that the US can keep on backing Musharraf uncritically, hoping that the status quo will hold. It will not; Musharraf’s tactics, in the face of a surging new threat to his authority, are making the crisis worse.

The Danish cartoons have exposed the threats that have been converging for the past year. Yesterday in Lahore and Multan, two cities where protests have been banned, hundreds rallied to demonstrate against the Prophet Muhammad cartoons.

For the first time since Musharraf seized power in a military coup in October 1999, there are frequent protests across the country. They are stridently anti-Western, hostile to him, and much larger than in the past. Of course, Musharraf has ridden out the storm before. In September 2001, as the wreckage of the World Trade Centre was still smouldering, Bush gave him just hours to decide whether to back the US in overthrowing the Taleban in Afghanistan. He did, and overturned years of policy, snubbing an intelligence service still passionately dedicated to the Taleban cause. There were riots, but they were surprisingly low-key, even in Karachi, a city where it takes nothing to summon thousands out of thin air.

Two years ago, when Pakistan and India began to relax their bristling standoff along Kashmir’s Line of Control, the change was anathema to the army. But it stayed obedient to him as Commander-in-Chief.

This time, it is different. Several threats have come together. The worst is Baluchistan. On its own, this could bring Musharraf down.

Tribal militants in Pakistan’s south-western province are mounting a drive for more autonomy. They want one thing above all: a bigger slice of revenues from the Baluchi gas fields. Yesterday militants in Baluchistan attacked a train on its way to Lahore.

The Baluchis have won some sympathetic support from Sind province, which also sees revenues from its resources flowing to the capital (although it keeps a higher share).

The protests have become more bitter as oil and gas prices have risen, and as land along Baluchistan’s spectacular coastline is sold off to outsiders.

These are secular protests against Musharraf’s authority. They have a strong tribal character, but little religious component. But the religious political parties have taken advantage of the ugly mood to rally their own support.
In the past few years, Musharraf has found the religious parties useful as a bulwark against the big political parties he has wanted to weaken, for fear they would challenge him. But the religious parties owe him little, and are now turning on him.

Meanwhile, the main political parties are stepping up the attack. The Pakistan Muslim League, whose figurehead is Nawaz Sharif, the former Prime Minister, and the Pakistan People’s Party, headed by Benazir Bhutto, have called for an independent commission to oversee parliamentary elections next year.

Above all, the Baluchi conflict has overstretched the army. Its battle against alQaeda in Waziristan is faring worse by the year.

The message from Bush to Musharraf should be this:



Pay the Baluchis much more for their gas. Stop using military tactics to crush them, and offer more autonomy

Stop courting mullahs

Allow free elections next year and help the political parties to squeeze out the mullahs
The US position has been that Musharraf is better than anything else. It has given him breathtaking licence, overlooking Pakistan’s responsibility for nuclear proliferation to Iran, North Korea and Libya.

But this view is wrong. It sounds worldly, but it is naive. Musharraf’s taste for the military solution, not the political one, is bringing closer exactly the turmoil that the US fears.

The US’s promotion of democracy in the Arab world may have reached a hiatus. But it should divert a fraction of that effort to democracy in Pakistan, where the need is clear.

Gas pipeline affected in Sui explosion

SUI: Unknown miscreants in Tehsil Sui of District Dera Bugti affected a gas pipeline in powerful explosion at 3:30 am Wednesday.

According to Sui Police, the explosion affected the pipeline in the South West of Sui and flames were seen at the scene.

Official sources said Law Enforcement Agencies and Levis Forces have started action however repair could not be started due to darkness.

www.geo.tv/main_files/pakistan.aspx

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Checkposts in Dera Bugti, Sibi attacked; no dealth

QUETTA: Unknown miscreants fired rockets on checkposts of FC troops in Sibi and Dera Bugti districts of Balochistan while firing was opened on the micro station in district Bolan, sources said on Tuesday.

No death toll resulted from the assaults.

According to FC sources, some unidentified miscreants firing rockets opened firing on Hamadan FC fort in Sanghela areas of district Dera Bugti. In another incident, rockets were also fired on checkpost situated at Gori bridge which exploded near it.

However, the attackers managed to flee when FC troops responded their attack.

www.geo.tv/main_files/pakistan.aspx

Baluchistan : Pakistan´s Achilles heel

By Daya Krishna

www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php

Baluchistan is one of the four states of Pakistan. It is the largest state because it accounts for 43 per cent of the area of Pakistan, but only 4 per cent of the population of Pakistan reside in Baluchistan.

By far, the most important fact about Pakistan is that it has developed a preference for removing its Prime Ministers through violent measures is evident from the cases of Liaquat Ali Khan, (1947-1951), Z. A. Bhutto (1971-1977), Zia ul Haq (1977-1988), and the latest is the frequent attempts on the life of Pervez Musharraf who became the Chief Executive of Pakistan in October 1999.

The Balauch lay claim to a history of about 2,000 years. They had secretly campaigned for independence during the final days of British Raj and were shocked by the inclusion of Baluchistan in Pakistan in 1947.

Violence is an integral and pervasive part of Baluchistan, both in the urban and the rural areas. A full scale war was fought between Balauch Freedom Fighters and the Pakistan Army during the 20 months period up to the end of 1974. This resulted in the death of 5,000 rebels and 3,000 Pak Army persons. The basic reason for this war was the visit of Bhutto to Iran in 1973. A White Paper of Pakistan says:

“In Iran, Bhutto was shown a plan of greater Baluchistan which included some areas of Iran. On his return, Bhutto ordered total decimation of the movement for Baluchistan and assigned this job to General Tikka Khan, the renowned butcher of Bangladesh.

The importance of Baluchistan

Baluchistan is important mainly because:
1. It is economically and strategically important.
2. Its subsoil holds a substantial portion of Pakistan´s energy and mineral resources.
3. It is a potential transit zone for pipeline transporting natural gas from Iran and Turkmenistan to India.
4. Two of Pakistan´s three navel bases are situated on the coast of Baluchistan.

Causes of the crisis
Basically, today´s crisis in Baluchistan was provoked ironically, by the central government´s attempts to develop this backward area by undertaking a series of large projects. Instead of cheering these projects, the Balauch responded with fear that, with a showing down of population they would be dispossessed of their land and resources, as also their distinct identity. In addition, three fundamental issues that are fueling this crisis are, expropriation, marginalisation and dispossession.

Resurgence of Balauch nationalism
The Balauch lay claim to a history of about 2,000 years. They had secretly campaigned for independence during the final days of British Raj and were shocked by the inclusion of Baluchistan in Pakistan in 1947. In spite of being divided among scores of tribes and clans, the Balauch stand united by the vision of a larger Baluchistan and take inspiration from Bangladesh becoming free in 1971.

If Pakistan is divided at some time in the future, a free Baluchistan would become a new zone of instability. Yet, unless Pakistan changes its policy towards Baluchistan dramatically, the possibility of Baluchistan becoming a free country cannot be ruled out.

The Balauch movement cannot prevail over a determined central government with superior military strength. Still, it can have a considerable nuisance value. The risk of a prolonged guerrilla movement in Baluchistan is quite real.

Balauch leaders have made it known that they would be satisfied with a generous version of autonomy. In the absence of their winning autonomy, the medium and long-term consequences of the struggle for freedom cannot be predicted today. The outbreak of another civil war in Baluchistan between the nationalists and the Pakistan Army cannot be ruled out if the minimum demands of the Balauch are not met.

Almost six decades of intermittent conflict have given rise to a deep feeling of mistrust towards the central government. The Balauch will not forget Musharraf´s recent promises and the insults hurled from time to time at certain nationalist leaders. The projects which were trumpeted as the means of achieving Baluchistan´s development and integration have so far led to only advance of the Pakistan Army in the province by the removal of the local population from their lands. That benefits only the army and its henchmen—mostly from Punjab.

Balauch nationalism is a reality that Islamabad cannot pretend to ignore and by making promises of development that are rarely kept. The promise is likely to enter a new phase of violence with long term consequences that are difficult to predict. This conflict could be used in Pakistan and elsewhere as a weapon against Pakistan government”. Such a prospect would certainly affect Pakistan. It is ultimately Islamabad that must decide whether Baluchistan will become its Achilles heel or not.

Balochistan : Pakistan playing divide and rule game
Author
Amir Baloch
Date Created
08 Mar 2006
More details...

with balochi tribes

By Nagesh Bhushan

intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2006/03/balochistan-pakistan-playing-divide.html

Pakistan launched millitary operations last december
against Baloch Nationalists who were dememanding more
royalty and revelue for the resources from the federal
government . BLA millitants were targetting Gas
pipelines and Frontier corps personell since last year
. Pakistani government is spending Rs.600 Crores per
month , which is exactly the amount US gives to
Pakistan per month for the use of their airspace . It
has expanded intelligence network and fielded 120,000
troups with helicoptor gunships , 800 check posts .

Nawab Akbar Bugti , chief of Bugti tribe and various
Baloch nationalists demanding greater political and
economic rights for his people accuse the government
of exploiting the natural resources of balochistan ,
which alone meets more than 25 per cent of the natural
gas needs of the country. Nawab Bugti and his
followers had fled Dera Bugti soon after start of
Military operations ,and are reportedly hiding in
mountains .

One of the sub tribes of Bugti , Kalpars were expelled
from the area 10 years ago on the decision of a jirga.
Locals says the tribal dispute started when Kalpars
were killed and Nawab Akbar Bugti’s son was named as
the accused, though he was later declared innocent.
However, Salal Bugti, another son of the Nawab, was
then killed in Quetta in 1992. Shahid Bugti said a
jirga then decided in 1996 that the Kalpars must leave
the area.

As part of its strategy to establish its writ and
wrest control of areas from tribal chiefs, the
government last month relocated members of the Kalpari
Badlani sub tribe in Sui .According to reports from
Sui, residents started leaving the town soon after the
government resettled the Kalpar Badlani sub tribe.
Locals said that the resettled tribals were forcing
them to leave. Many have left for Dera Murad Jamali,
Kandhkot and Shikarpur.

On Feb 14, Another Massuri tribesmen also returned to
their homes in the Bekar region of Dera Bugti district
, according to APP .A total of 67 families, comprised
of 334 people made their way back to their hometown.
On their arrival in Bekar, the displaced tribesmen
thanked the present government as well as President
Pervez Musharraf for their help and support.

Kalpar Bugtis staged a demonstration in favour of
development projects in Balochistan, including the
building of military cantonments, Kalpar elder Sardar
Ahmadan Bugti said to media.

The rally was led by Ziaur Rehman Kalpar, grandson of
Wadera Khan Muhammad Kalpar Bugti. The protestors
assembled at the Sui bazaar and then marched through
Banwani Colony, Muhammad Colony, Bugra Colony, the Sui
gas field and Bugti Colony to the Bugti bazaar

The protestors denounced Bugti tribe chief Nawab Akbar
Bugti and accused him of detaining and torturing
Kalpars in private prisons. They also accused the
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the
Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) of
being partial to the Bugtis and for ignoring the
Kalpars’ rights. They demanded the HRCP and ARD to
visit the area and observe the Kalpars’ situation, who
they said were subjected to atrocities. The speakers
termed the Sui cantonment a “great gift” for the
people of the area. They expressed full support for
the policies of President Pervez Musharraf.

A jirga or local council decided to expel the Kalpars
from Sui after the clan got into a feud with the Bugti
tribal chief. The government recently decided to
resettle the clan in Sui, in an initiative to wrest
control from Nawab Bugti, who has opposed development
projects in the province.

Another batch of some 300 Kalpars recently left for
Sui under the supervision of the Frontier Corps. “We
now feel safe (in Sui) and normalcy is returning to
the area after a long time,” said Sardar Ahmadan
Bugti. He said that over 4,000 Kalpars had now
resettled in Sui and 3,000 still remained in Punjab
and Sindh, adding that two to five Kalpar families
were returning to the town every day

The mainstream Bugti tribe, whose tribal elders are
already facing a government crackdown, accused the
government of sponsoring the return of Kalpar and
Masuri clans , warning that it could create a serious
law and order problem in their area where Pakistan's
biggest Sui Gas Field is located.

The dissident Bugti tribesmen have been accommodated
at the houses built for the state-run Pakistan
Petroleum Ltd employees, government sources say.

"They have no other place to go," said one official by
telephone from the area. "They have been accommodated
here on humanitarian grounds," he said.

But the move is seen as fuelling more tensions and a
law and order problem in the area where tribesmen are
already mounting hit-and-run attacks on the security
forces and government installations.

Below list are tribes

BALOCH TRIBES AND THEIR POPULATION

Baloch, Ahmadani
Baloch, Amrani
Baloch, Badani
Baloch, Baghani
Baloch, Bagrani
Baloch, Bajarani
Baloch, Bakrani
Baloch, Balidi
Baloch, Banglani
Baloch, Barohi
Baloch, Bharani
Baloch, Bhugri
Baloch, Bozdar
Baloch, Chakrani 71,730.00
Baloch, Chandiya
Baloch, Chang
Baloch, Domki
Baloch, Gabol
Baloch, Gadahani
Baloch, Gargez
Baloch, Gashkori
Baloch, Hisbani
Baloch, Jadani
Baloch, Jakhrani 15,370.00
Baloch, Jalalani
Baloch, Jamali 66,600.00
Baloch, Janwari
Baloch, Jarwar
Baloch, Jaskani
Baloch, Jatoi
Baloch, Kaloi
Baloch, Kalpri
Baloch, Kanbrani
Baloch, Karmati
Baloch, Khoi
Baloch, Khorkhan
Baloch, Khushak
Baloch, Korai
Baloch, Lagari 20,490.00
Baloch, Lanjwani
Baloch, Lashari
Baloch, Laskani 20,490.00
Baloch, Lund 61,480.00
Baloch, Maghiri
Baloch, Malkani
Baloch, Mangria
Baloch, Mari
Baloch, Mastoi
Baloch, Mazari
Baloch, Meer Talpur
Baloch, Mengal
Baloch, Mungi
Baloch, Nizamani 66,600.00
Baloch, Nohani 63,530.00
Baloch, Notkani
Baloch, Rastmani
Baloch, Sanjrani
Baloch, Eastern 3,074,000.00
Baloch, Southern 2,561,600.00
Baloch, Western 1,116,900.00

TOTAL --- 7,138,790.00

Related
intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2006/03/balochistan-pakistan-playing-divide.html
bso-na.org

me sindh ke tando muhmad khan dist;se ho hum ne all pak notkani wel;as;bani he jiske 10000 se zida memb;sindh me ho chuke he.hume balchistan, punjab or degr aliqon se notkani qabele ke information darkar he is me ap plz help kren. Email.mhkn_b-AT-yahoo.com. mob,no,03013630255

The Baloch Insurgency and its Threat to Pakistan's Energy Sector

www.jamestown.org/news_details.php

03/21/2006 - By John C.K. Daly (from Terrorism Focus, March 21) - While most of the world's media remains focused on insurgent attacks on oil facilities in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Pakistan is experiencing a rising tide of violence against its Sui natural gas installations located in the country's volatile Balochistan province, where the majority of the energy-starved country's natural gas facilities are located. Pakistan, currently engaged in a drawn-out conflict against al-Qaeda and Taliban remnants in its North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), is slowly descending into conflict with anti-government forces in Balochistan province, raising the unsettling prospect of a rising second internal front against militants. A second internal front would drain resources from Pakistan's ability to maintain control over the country and its campaign against al-Qaeda and Taliban remnants in the NWFP and the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA).

Balochistan contains 42 percent of Pakistan's total land mass and is the largest of the country's four provinces. The province is strategically vital as it borders Iran, Pakistan, FATA and the Arabian Sea. The capital Quetta lies near the border with Afghanistan and has road connections to Kandahar to the northwest.

Islamabad also sees the province as essential to its future prosperity, building a $1.1 billion deepwater commercial and naval port at Gwadar on the Arabian Sea. China contributed about $200 million toward the construction cost of Gwadar's first phase, which was completed in April 2004. Chinese interest extends far beyond Gwadar; during a recent interview, Pakistani Minister of State for Investment Umar Ahmad Ghumman said that the two countries had discussed $12 billion in investment projects of interest to China including a 60,000 barrels per day oil refinery at Gwadar (Aaj TV interview, March 6).

India is also interested in Balochistan province as a transit point for a projected $4.5 billion Iran-India natural gas pipeline expected to be operational by 2010. India also discussed with Pakistan plans by both countries to import gas from Turkmenistan via Afghanistan and from Qatar (balochistan.org, March 4).

Balochistan's natural gas production is critical to Pakistan's economy. The Sui natural gas field in Balochistan's Bugti tribal area produces approximately 45 percent of the country's total gas production, with Pakistan Petroleum Ltd. producing 720-750 million cubic feet of gas daily from more than 80 wells in the field (Business Recorder, July 30, 2004). Other natural gas fields in the province include Uch, Pirkoh, Loti, Gundran and Zarghoon near Quetta. A provincial spokesman said that Balochistan has 19 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves and six trillion barrels of oil reserves on- and off-shore (Business Recorder, May 14, 2004).

Despite the province's wealth of natural resources, Balochistan is Pakistan's poorest province, with 45 percent of the population living below the poverty line. There is rising resentment in the province that despite the fact that its natural gas generates $1.4 billion annually in revenue, the government remits only $116 million in royalties back to the province (Dawn, February 6).

After the U.S. campaign against the Taliban began in November 2001, Balochistan became a critical escape route for al-Qaeda and International Islamic Front refugees attempting to flee via Karachi to Yemen. After U.S. operations against Iraq began in March 2003, Balochistan became an increasingly important theater of operations for al-Qaeda and International Islamic Front guerrillas in their efforts to attack U.S. economic interests in Pakistan in retaliation for the U.S. campaigns in both Afghanistan and Iraq (South Asia Analysis Group, January 24, 2003).

Attacks on Pipelines

In 2003, resentment among Baloch chiefs boiled over into intermittent armed conflict with the Pakistani Army. By July 2004 the rising violence in Balochistan forced a U.S. company involved in offshore drilling to abandon its two test wells between Gwadar and Pasni because of security concerns for a loss of nearly 26 million dollars (Business Recorder, July 30, 2004).

On January 18, 2005, a major attack disrupted Sui's output. In the aftermath of the attack, the government rushed hundreds of troops to the area. At least eight people died in the violence, which caused a production loss of more than 43,000 tons of urea and caused a daily electricity shortfall of about 470 megawatts (BBC, January 18, 2005).

Balochistan's turbulent year of 2005 ended with an attack on the head of state. On December 14, Balochistan Liberation Army militants launched six rockets, three of them landing near a paramilitary camp in Kohlu that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was visiting 135 miles east of Quetta. Islamabad described the attack as an assassination attempt and three days later launched a full-fledged army operation in Kohlu district's Marri-Bugti areas against local "miscreants" and "saboteurs."

Since the beginning of the year, militants have launched at least a dozen attacks on oil pipelines in the region. The militant tribal Balochistan Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Some analysts believe that Taliban and al-Qaeda guerrillas have also been using Balochistan to move back and forth between Pakistan and southern Afghanistan (Voice of America, March 2). The year opened with heavy fighting on January 1 between security forces and tribesmen on the Dera Bugti-Sui Road, while four people were killed and three others injured when a bomb exploded in a house in the Kharan district. Jamhoori Watan Party's secretary-general Agha Shahid Hasan Bugti accused the security forces of opening fire on tribesmen without any provocation (Dawn, January 1). Policeman Sher Ahmed was injured when he attempted to deactivate a rocket that was found in Killi Shiekhan as six bombs blew up between Sibi and Harnai, one near a natural gas pipeline in Kalat. Fighting continued into the next day.

District Coordination Officer Dera Bugti Abdul Samad Lasi accused the tribesmen of launching rockets at the Loti gas field and accused Nawab Akbar Bugti's men of attempting to capture the Sui gas installations. Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd. subsequently halted natural gas supplies to 118 power plants in Lahore-Sheikhupura, Bhai Phero and Gujranwala regions, forcing textile mills to halt their operations for an indefinite period. A Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd. official claimed that the shutoff was because of adverse weather conditions.

On January 15, Jamhoori Watan Party chief Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti told an audience at the Karachi Press Club's Meet the Press program by telephone that the Pakistani government is committing "genocide" in Balochistan, adding, "As a war has been imposed on Baloch people, they have every right to defend themselves against the onslaught by the government forces" (Dawn, January 15).

The ongoing military operations in Balochistan were now beginning to worry Pakistan's business community. On January 16, the corporate brokerage house Taurus Securities issued its "Key risks and challenges 2006" report, which observed that the ongoing violence in Balochistan will have "a detrimental impact on the reserves of natural resources and disrupt gas supplies," adding that the military operations were worsening the situation (www.taurus.com.pk, January 16). On a political level, the report noted that the military campaign was providing common ground for opposition parties to unite and increasing unrest in other provinces.

Attacks also spread beyond Sui. Even as tribesmen clashed with the military on January 29, two separate attacks on natural gas pipelines supplying the power station at Uch in Nasirabad and a gas purification plant at Loti disrupted production at both facilities (Dawn, January 29). Militants also attacked the Pirkoh gas field. The saboteurs managed to destroy a significant portion of the Uch facility's 24-inch pipeline, setting it ablaze. A spokesman said, "The 586 mw-capacity power plant owned by British and U.S. companies was closed at about 11 p.m." Repairs took several days. The Uch attack certainly caught U.S. investors' intention as a threat to U.S. economic interests.

Even as Bugti remained in hiding, Baloch political leaders demanded increased revenue from the province's natural gas facilities. On March 4, National Party parliamentary leader and Balochistan Assembly opposition head Kachkol Ali demanded royalties from the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, which would transit Balochistan, citing international law (balochistan.org, March 4).

Certainly, Musharraf shows no sign of avoiding a showdown. Speaking to reporters on March 12, he said that his government will not give in to the "blackmail" of "a handful of miscreants" in Balochistan and will use force to defeat them, adding that he was confident that the situation would improve in a month while force would be used against Baloch militants who have attacked security forces and the province's natural gas infrastructure (Daily Times, March 12).

On March 13, U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman visited Pakistan to inaugurate a bilateral Enhanced Energy Cooperation program. Bodman made a profound statement completely overlooked in the U.S. media, saying, "The security situation in Pakistan needs to be improved as it is an impediment to investment. Until there is an improvement, substantial foreign investment is not possible" (Daily Times, March 16).

Conclusion

While it seems that al-Qaeda and the Taliban remain focused on their campaign against ISAF and U.S. forces in Afghanistan's eastern provinces and Pakistani Army units in the NWFP, the possibility exists that they could move southeastwards to take advantage of Balochistan's growing unrest, linking up with militants operating out of Karachi. The fact that Musharraf has deployed 40,000 troops to Balochistan, about half the 70,000 currently engaged in the NWFP, indi