KASHMOR, March 25: Some 1,800 members of Rahija and Masoori clans of Bugti tribe — including men, women and children — in a convoy of 130 vehicles entered Balochistan at Dera More near here on Saturday to resettle in their hometown Dera Bugti from where they had reportedly been evicted by force by Nawab Akbar Bugti 12 years ago.
The convoy, led by Mir Ahmedan Bugti, was received in Sui by Haji Munnoo Khan Bugti of the Kalpar clan, and then seen off on their onward journey to Dera Bugti via Sui.
The caravan included 1,500 members of Rahija clan and 300 of Masoori clan. The latter joined the convoy in Rajanpur and Rojhan.
Earlier, 1,500 Rahijas in a convoy of 112 vehicles left Dera Ghazi Khan on for Dera Bugti. The convoy comprised 55 wagons, 42 trucks and 15 mini-trucks and pick-ups.
It was a moment of a great joy for the tribesmen who were returning to their homes after being homeless for over a decade.
Mr Ahmedan told newsmen that hundreds of the families belonging to Rahija clan had fallen prey to the atrocities of Akbar Bugti and his men and had been forced to leave homes in 1994.
He said they had taken refuge with Ghulam Qadir Masoori in Bekar but they and their hosts were expelled from that area also in 1997 by Akbar Bugti.
He said he and his clan were thankful to President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Governor Balochistan Owais Ghani for encouraged them to return.
He said Baloch people wanted development in their province, which was opposed by Akbar Bugti.
A farmer, Nazar Mohammad, father of 10, said that when he was forced to abandon his home and land 12 years ago, his three school-going children had to quit studies.—APP
