January 30, 2006	Monday	Zilhaj 29, 1426

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QUETTA Jan 29: The Jamhoori Watan Party has criticized the government’s decision to settle Bandulani and Masuri sub-clans of Bugti tribe in Sui and Bekar respectively and said that it would intensify its confrontation with Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.

The party’s spokesman, Agha Shahid Hasan Bugti, said that the tribesmen had voluntarily left the area in accordance with a verdict of the Bugti National Jirga and violation of that decision would lead to a conflict in the tribe.

He said that according to Baloch and Pukhtun tribal values, rival groups within a tribe had to accept decision pronounced by the national jirga of the tribe.

Agha Shahid said that a few years ago, the Kalpar sub section of Bandulani clan had left Sui to honour a decision of the Jirga and now if they, at the behest of the government, went against the verdict and returned to Sui, they would be violating the tribal values.

He said that there were several instances of one faction of a tribe leaving their homes and land.

“The family of Sardar Baz Muhammad Jogezai left Zhob and Settled in Loralai. Similarly, the family of the chief of Domki tribe left Lehri and settled in Sindh. Decades have passed but these families still respect jirga decisions and they have never attempted to return to the land of their forefathers,” Agha Shahid claimed.

He alleged that the main objective of the government was to incite clashes within the tribe. He said the Masuris had their own disputes in Bekar area and bringing one faction under the protection of para-military forces would lead to a confrontation between sub-clans of the Bugti tribe.

The JWP spokesman said that to his information Bandulanis would be housed by the government in 17 bungalows of the PPL in the fenced area of Sui.

District Coordination Officer (DPO) Dera Bugti Abdul Samad Lasi, however, said that displaced Kalpar tribesmen in Sukkur and Multan had submitted an application to the government seeking permission to return to their land.

He said that the Kalpars who were living in Sukkur and Multan wanted to live on their land near the Kachhi canal, adding that the Kalpars owned 1,20000 acres of land.