Adil Najam
Government sources in Pakistan have just announced that Nawab Akbar Bugti, chief of the Bugti tribe, veteran politician, and senior Baluchistan leader, has been killed in a shootout between “tribal militants and government forces” in Balochistan.
This is very sad and disturbing news that cannot bode well for anyone. While details are still coming in, BBC reports:
The battle near his mountain hideout in south-west Pakistan also caused heavy casualties on both sides, reports say. More than 20 soldiers and at least 30 rebels died, officials say. The octogenarian has been at the head of a tribal campaign to win political autonomy and a greater share of revenue from Balochistan’s gas reserves. “It is confirmed, Nawab Bugti has been killed in an operation,” Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani told Reuters news agency. The battle reportedly took place near the town of Dera Bugti, not far from Mr Bugti’s hideout.
According to a newsflash posted on The News website:
Jamhori Watan Party (JWP) chief Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was killed in a historical operation carried out by security forces in Kohlu and Murree tribal areas on Saturday night, Federal Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani confirmed… Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP-P) leader Makhdoom Amin Faheem termed Akbar Bugti’s death an incident which could worsen security situation in Pakistan.
The death, and the manner of death, of the veteran Baluch leader will indeed worsen the security situation in Baluchistan and exacerbate the feeling of marginalization amongst Baluchis. Nawab Bugti had, at various points in his life, ‘butted heads’ with just about all major leaders in Pakistan. His recent standoff with the Musharraf government was not the highpoint of his own political career but it may well be the lowest point of the Musharraf rule. However, more than the implications on immediate politics – 
which will become more clear and more pronounced over the next many days – this marks a tragic end to the life of an important political leader.
Born on July 12, 1927, Nawab Bugto was a ‘ tribal’ who was educated at Oxford, England, Aitchison College, Lahore and Karachi Grammar School and has served as Governor and Chief Minister of Baluchistan. Mr. Bugti’s legacy was clearly a mixed one and will be much debated and much dissected. He was, however, a major leader and this was indeed a sad and tragic way to go.
I must explain that I have used the term “Pindiwalla” and “Karachiwalla” not in an ethnic sense but to signfy the authors of a few earlier comments.
Such deaths have a way of resurrecting themselves into legends. Pindiwallas and Karachiwallas might soon forget this but, I suspect, Quettawalas will not.
History will not remember Bugti and nor will it remember how it died. Its over and done. Live with it!
We are falling again into that trap of trying to make it about feudals. If it was the government would be signing deals with other tribal leaders the same time this killing happened.
Way above in the comments, someone had written:
dushman marray tey khushi na karee-aye,
sajnaaN we marr jaana aye
That seems like good advice for all of us to follow.
If the best symbol all you anti-Musharrafites can find is Bugti, then good luck to you,
Interesting. So we condemn him of being proud of killing someone at 12 (which we should). But, then, we express glee and joy at teh murder of an 80 year old man! I am sorry, I cannot share your ghoulish fascination with murder or your support of murder.
It’s time we ended our love affair with the feudals. Bugti was the worst offender of them all. Maintained his own prisons, tortured his own people and proudly told the Economist Magazine in July ’06 that he killed his first man when we was 12.
Good riddance I say!