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| 24 January 2005 | Monday | 13 Zilhaj 1425 |
Bugti refutes claims of weapons surrender
QUETTA, Jan 23: Chief of Jamhoori Watan Party Nawab Akbar Bugti has called upon the government to recognize the ground realities and settle the Balochistan issue politically.
He said that a propaganda campaign against him in the official media would not serve the purpose of making the people of Balochistan give up their struggle against "usurpation of the province's resources".
Talking to newsmen in Dera Bugti on Sunday, the veteran Baloch politician refuted official claims that tribesmen in Sui had voluntarily surrendered their weapons to the authorities, saying they had refused to hand over arms during previous martial laws because that was against the Baloch norms.
Nawab Bugti said that his party had presented a 15-point formula and Sardar Ataullah Mengal, chief of Ponam, had included those points in his suggestions to resolve the Balochistan question.
"The proposals are clear enough and there is no ambiguity in them," he said. He criticized the government for spreading 'baseless reports' that "we wanted to enhance the percentage of gas royalty or get 20,000 youths recruited in the security forces". He said his party's objective was to get ownership rights for Balochistan's resources.
The JWP leader alleged that the government had drawn up a programme for 'phased dislodging' of natives from the lands of their forefathers and terminating their services in the Sui gas plant in order to induct outsiders in their place.
He warned the government against employing brute force to demolish local people's homes or capture gas fields. Nawab Bugti said he was officially told two days before Eidul Azha that a brigade of regular army would enter Sui for action. The government, he said, had decided to launch a military operation, but "that operation has been delayed for some time".
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