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.
Dear Pakistanis!
Nawab Akbar bugti remained Chief Minister and Governer of Baluchastan but why he had not do for their people better because these all sardars are not in favor of peoples. sardar and wadaras are not best for our next genatation. World has been entered into 21st centeury. so Get ready to complete those nation who are fast in field of research, development and discorvery.
MR:NAWAB AKBAR BUGTI SAHAB WAS A GREAT LEDAR AND HE WAS BRAVE JUST LIKE A LION.
Hi, Aslam alakum
Nawab Akbar Khan Bugty was not a Leader of Balochistan. He was a great leader of Pakistan but establishment ki ghalat palisio ki wajha say itna bada Sanha hoa Allah Nawab Sahib ki Maghfarat Karay Ameen From Hub Chowky, Balochistan
Political issues should be resolved through dialogue. No way taking arms and challenging state authority. Tragic..a stubborn mercurial man..but even Bhutto did not kill the Sardars in the 1970
To me killing someone is not a right way, but its a happy day for me that this useless man is no more.
Neglecting a province of pakistan by “center establisment” does not mean you take up arms. Or does not mean that you start bombing the heck out of gas pipelines in retaliations. For god sake, stop supporting these useless politicians. Who have not done anything for Pakistan. A politician should be a public servant not a god.
What government did was proper becasue no citizen of pakistan should be allowed to play with national interests. I was in karachi a few year back, pulled over to a CNG station and it said due to gas pineline bombing there is shortage of gas, i was like what the…..
aslam o alikum for all
mujhay nawab akbar bugti k interview or articals urdu edition main chahay,,
thanks
Muneer Ahmad Mirza
Baiochistan is also a province of pakistan but it is totally neglected since independence.nawab akbar bugti was a great leader who wanted to get the rights of balochistan but was killed because of.
Any person in any nation who threatens to destablize and divide that nation will be taken down. That’s the reality and we must learn to accept it.
It was Bugti who waged an anti-government protest by taking up arms. He was totally against Pakistan – just watch and read his interviews. It is people like him who have kept Baluchistan in the dark.
Every other day there is a bomb blast in Baluchistan and in NWFP. The region is flooded with drugs and smuggling. Every day either some infrastructure is destroyed by the insurgents (armies of these ‘Sardars’) or some development is stopped. Govt. tries to build facilities (electric poles, schools, etc) or infrastructure and it gets either blocked or destroyed by the ‘Sardars’.
What have the sardars done for the development of Pakistan? Is Pakistan a country or has many small nations within it controlled by warlords?
These Sardars spread hatred telling that Baluchi is Baluchi and not Pakistani. They tell Pathans that Pathans are superior than the rest of Pakistanis. What is all this crap?
Baluchi Sardars claim that Gwadar will not bring them wealth. They claim that naturally non Baluchis will outnumber in Gwadar due to labor requirements and this will be disastrous to the Baluchi culture and lifestyle. These people are purely anti Pakistan and all they want is to be given money, so they can continue to have a strangle hold on their communities and brainwash the youth and the uneducated into being their slaves.
Wake up people of NWFP, Baluchistan and rural Sindh and Punjab, you don’t need Sardars. Just get educated, work, be a good muslim and prosper. No Pakistani is better than another Pakistani. One Nation, one people.
Finally, it is all a lie that people of Sindh are unhappy with Government due to something that happened 30 years ago. It is also very wrong that these people be thought of as freedom fighters or national heros. They are just that – terrorists who till the last minute, defied the Government and wasted our tax rupees. Look at Ansar Burney’s website for more details about the doings of the so called Baluch leader – Nawab Bugti.
What is next, make the so called Maulvi sahab who ran the lal Masjid and gave the Masjid a black reputation a national hero?