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.
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?
well i have been reading all these comments since last one week different people have different views im baloch and im from Nushki its 3rd biggest city after quetta people talking here about rights royalties so we should be more realistic the gas which is coming out from Baluchistan has reached Azad Kashmir but in Baluchistan most of major cities don’t have Gas poor road structures RCD which is one of main highways connecting Pakistan to Iran which is in very poor condition as compared to motorways in Punjab and other provinces Pakistani establishment claims in Baluchistan there are more airports as compare to other provinces if a piece of land is plained with roller and named airport so i agree with them Quetta international airport which is dummy airport don’t have facilities to handle night flights federal govt have to pay loans to Baluchistan govt almost 38 billion$ for gas which was purchased in last 4 decades at very low price 3 Pakistani rupees per KG specially my brothers here adnan and some others who have some negative comments about baluchistan should go and visit Baluchistan and get true image of situation all what ever is happening in Baluchistan is result of polices from both side baloch leaders and Pakistani establishment as far death of Nawab saab is concerned its great loss for us Baloch people i salute him he was great leader and we ll always remember him and shaeed naourouz khan who was killed along with his 6 son by Pakistani army
Read your article in THE NEWS on Bugti and Musharraf. you are very right I am glad there are still people who have not forgotten. Thank you Dr. Najam.
Nawab Bugti was amongst the founders of Pakistan. He was the first Baloch sardar to support Quaid-i Azam. Nawab sahib was killed a by a general who broke his oath to abide by the consitution. Under article 19 of the consitution such generals are called traitors.
Pakistan is the only country in the world whose territoriral integrity is endangered by it’s own army. It seems that Pakistan army has learnt nothing from the 1971 debacle.
Every comissioned officer takes the oath, “that I will not engage in any political activities whatsoever.” Yet you see officers in ISI subvert national politics. Doesn’t their oath bar military intelligence officials from meddling in politics? I guess the just follow the lead of the COAS.
For those making very childish remarks about Nawab Sahib. I will simply say please dont make decision based on onesided stories you learned in media and by present government. Baloch tribal area, was never, never, never a safe heaven for ciminals of entire Pakistan and now the world like the tribal area of NWFP. They have their own lifestyle and they enjoy it and like to keep their traditions.
I live in Canada, and north of Toronto we have the Mormon people and lots of Native Indian Tribes keeping their own lifestyle and nobody bothers them. Mormon dont use any modern day gadget telephone or electricity.
Who the hell is army or anybody else to make decisions for them. Let Balochi decide for themselves.