March, 31 2005	Thursday	20 Safar 1426

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DERA BUGTI, March 30: Baloch leader Akbar Khan Bugti has said the Dera Bugti operation was launched to eliminate him from the political scene and to warn others who were struggling for Baloch rights. He said this while talking to reporters and a fact-finding delegation of the Balochistan Union of Journalists that visited Dera Bugti over the weekend to collect facts about the March 17 incident that claimed a number of lives.

Mr Bugti said that several hundred rockets, mortar shells and missiles were fired on Dera Bugti, killing innocent Hindus, including women and children, and Bugtis. “My residence was the main target during the operation and around 100 shells and rockets landed and exploded at different places in my house.”

Responding to a question, the Jamhoori Watan Party chief said that all the struggle and fighting was to determine who was the owner of “Baloch wealth and resources, the Baloch or someone else.” If General Musharraf is a sympathizer of the Baloch nation, then he should ask them what they want and develop Balochistan according to their wishes. He said that nobody could accept forcible development.

Referring to the two rounds of talks with the PML-Q leadership, Nawab Bugti said in both meetings, they had discussed only Dera Bugti and the Sui situation and not the other problems and issues that were agitating Baloch minds. Where the latter issues were concerned, the government had set up a parliamentary committee and sub-committees and different parties had submitted their demands. The JWP had put forward 15 points while the BNP and PMAP had also made their own proposals that were discussed in committee meetings. However, he pointed out, the JWP, BNP and the National Party had disassociated themselves from the committees due to various reasons.

Mr Bugti said he had confidence in Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Senator Mushahid Hussain. “My confidence will remain until it is breached.” He said he could not disclose details of the negotiations he hadheld with Mr Shujaat Hussain and Mr Mushahid Hussain.

Tempers meanwhile appear to have cooled in the area, thanks to the shuttle politics between Islamabad and Dera Bugti. But both sides still hold the other responsible for the March 17 incident.

According to Nawab Bugti, the attack was preplanned and well worked out. “They (FC) confronted our patrol at Sangsila Mor by saying that they would not allow us to pass this time,” he said.

Patrolling by armed tribesmen was a routine affair in the Dera Bugti area, he pointed out. “As our men insisted on proceeding, the FC opened fire, killing five of our men on the spot”.

However, Colonel Furqanuddin of the Bhambore Rifles told Dawn that the tribesmen had obstructed the FC men. “As I alighted from my vehicle to talk to them (the tribesmen), they opened fire. The DCO had to keep flat on the road for half an hour to escape the intense firing. The incident occurred at 10:15 am and intermittent firing continued till three in the morning. Our reinforcements came under fire from both the Fort and Sui. As we ran out of ammunition, we used the ammunition of the dead tribesmen. We lost five of our Jawans. We are here to protect the people, but if we are attacked we have to fire back, and we did so by targeting Nawab Sahib’s fort”, Col Furqan said.

Nawab Bugti said that though they were a weaker side and less equipped, the FC had failed to capture even a single post. But Col Furqan said the FC never intended to capture any post of the tribesmen, and had only returned fire in self-defence.

The worst hit in the incident was the Hindu Mohallah where 32 people were killed and 16 were wounded. The Mohallah is located within the fort of Bugti. Even on Monday, the Hindu Mohallah wore a deserted look as most people had moved to safe places.

A local trader, Sarvand Jumar, said that 11 members of a family died in the FC attack on that day.

The FC had blocked he its Peshbogi checkpost located between Sui and Dera Bugti. A transporter carrying a truckload of flour and sugar destined for Dera Bugti from Sadiqabad remained stranded at the Peshbogi post for four days. He was allowed to pass only when journalists pleaded his case with Col Furqan on Monday.

From Kashmore to Dera Bugti there are over half a dozen posts manned by the army, Punjab Rangers and the FC.

At each post, every passerby is stopped and asked about his particulars. At a checkpost manned by the army, a senior officer admitted that by this procedure, the poor people passing through the roads suffered, “but we are following orders.” Armed tribesmen and even ordinary people are using alternative routes through difficult terrain.

The tribesmen have entrenched themselves in the mountains where according to them they feel at home and they are said to be ready to fight if the current efforts to ensure peace fail.