1927-2006: Nawab Akbar Bugti Killed

249 responses to “1927-2006: Nawab Akbar Bugti Killed”

1. Umera Ali says:

   August 27, 2006 at 9:35 pm

   I agree that to kill without trial in normal circumstance is gang justice.

   BUT wasn’t he killed in an arm combat, which lasted for 3 days and where 20 soldiers and 30 tribesmen from tribal army lost their lives? I hope you are not suggesting that in middle of the combat they should have stopped to give a fair trail and protection of rule of law, which he didn’t incidentally accept?

   I am not trying to make a mockery of his death or the way he died, yes it was not idealistic. However, it was an arm combat and unfortunately he lost his life in combat.

2. Eidee Man says:

   August 27, 2006 at 8:42 pm

   “Last time I checked executing a murderer wasn’t a crime and didn’t put blood on your hand. ”

   Actually, murdering without a trial IS most definitely a crime. What your describing is mob/gang justice.

3. Umera Ali says:

   August 27, 2006 at 7:34 pm

   Last time I checked executing a murderer wasn’t a crime and didn’t put blood on your hand. However, I Support Owais Mughal’s suggestion that it would have been better if he had been prosecuted and then executed. it would certainly have stopped this undue and misplaced sympathy for Bugti’s death. Bugti’s cry for independent Baluchistan was not for the people of Baluchistan but was based on American design which want to change the boundaries of the Middle East for better governance. If anyone wants more details read the article Blood Boarder published in Armed Forces Journal: http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2006/06/1833899 . Bugti was not only not loyal to Pakistan but also not loyal to Baluchs.

   Secondly, exactly what are people so upset about – the death of a tyrant pharoah or the manner of his death. If it is manner of his death then yes it wasn’t ideal but the situation of death is never convenient and in any case, it is predetermined so why all the hue and cry?

   I hope the people of Pakistan for once will have the intelligence and foresight to see the game of exploitation that all the leaders play with them. The so called politicians are not mourning death of Bugti, they are just worried about their own fate because now there is a possibility that if they continue to support anarchy in the country and commit treason they will be executed.

   Nonetheless, my thoughts do go out towards Bugti’s family because it is never easy to loose a family member, may Allah give them patience to bear their loss.

4. Adil Najam says:

   August 27, 2006 at 6:25 pm

   Folks, just to update the situation as the first Pakistani newspaper for Monday comes online:

   The News, leads its main story with ” Violent protests erupt across Balochistan”, sub-headline: “Two killed, 24 hurt in Quetta; curfew in Naushki; dozens of vehicles, buildings torched across province to protest Bugti’s killing; rail, road traffic suspended”
   http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id= 2734

   The editorial reads:
   http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=2165 5

   The death of Nawab Akbar Bugti during a military operation in the hills near Kohlu late on Saturday is tragic and could well be a defining moment in Pakistan’s chequered history. Viewed by his supporters as a defender of Baloch rights and by his detractors as a Sardar bent on blocking the progress of his people and perpetrating acts of sabotage, Akbar Bugti’s legacy will remain hotly disputed. Whatever the verdict of history, however, the killing is the logical and unfortunate outcome of the recent approach to tackling the whole Balochistan issue and once again underlines the need for a political dialogue and non-military solution to end the crisis in that province. Of course, it is difficult for a government to sit back and watch as its officials, assets and vital installations are attacked, but what happened on Saturday is likely to inflame anti-government sentiment in Balochistan. Unfortunately, Mr Bugti’s death could well be a watershed in the troubled relationship between Balochistan and the Centre. The government hopes that it will mark the beginning of the end of the strife in the troubled province. On the other hand, it may well reinforce the sharp mistrust of Islamabad, Punjab and the military among a section of the Baloch population. The repercussions of his death will cast a long shadow over Baloch-Centre relations for the foreseeable future. The interior minister has said that it all began when government helicopters were fired upon from a cave in the area and that this forced a response from security forces. Another minister said on Sunday that Bugti died when the roof of the cave he was hiding in collapsed under heavy relatiatory fire by security forces. There remain a number of other conflicting reports on the circumstances of his death that only an independent investigation will help clear.

   Many Baloch will see Bugti’s death as nothing more than history repeating itself and they will come to believe that the federal government will never give them the even-handed treatment that they deserve. There will be many Baloch who perhaps were not even born the last time the province had to endure a military operation. Despite that, however, and because the grievances over the years have only exacerbated because successive governments failed to address them, many among the younger generation share the view held by their elders that the Centre refuses to pay the province its due share of royalties for using its mineral wealth and natural gas, and that it (the centre) tends to favour the largest province in funds allocation, employment generation, development projects and socio-economic polices in general. Of course, many will now wonder whether the end would have been as violent and grim if those hiding in the cave were from another province. It is for the government to ensure that this is not so.

5. Aziz Akhmad says:

   August 27, 2006 at 5:21 pm

   I concede that Baloch could be spelled as Baluch and possibly even pronounced as such, as was also pointed out by Ali Raza, himself a Baloch. But my main point was not to mix Baloch and Balochi. Baloch are the people and Balochi is the language they speak.