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| July 20, 2006 | Thursday | Jumadi-ul-Sani 23, 1427 |
‘Separatist movement plot’ foiled: official
ISLAMABAD, July 19: A senior official on Wednesday claimed that a plot to launch a separatist movement in Balochistan with the help of external forces had been foiled.
An official said on condition of anonymity at a briefing that the secessionist movement was to get under way in June, but steps taken in ‘a calculated manner’ had thwarted the plan prepared by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
A couple of days ago, the BLA faced a joint onslaught of the Pakistani and British governments when the former decided to freeze bank accounts of its members and the latter designated it as a terrorist organisation.
The official said that the BLA’s initiative had been effectively curbed and the elements operating it were in a problem as they would now be facing a financial crunch.
“The organised mayhem is over now and political, economic and administrative measures are required to be taken to deal with the issue of law and order,” he pointed out.
He said the Maris and Mengals who had formed the BLA in the 60s were now dormant and the organisation had been hijacked by Nawab Akbar Bugti. He said some sub-nationalist terrorist organisations exploiting parochial sentiments had spearheaded acts of terrorism, damaging national assets and harming people.
These terrorists continued to receive funds from foreign NGOs, he said, adding that the World Sindhi Congress and World Sindhi Institute were among such organisations linked with terrorists in Sindh and Balochistan. These organisations collected funds from international donor agencies and charitable groups and diverted it to Pakistan.
The official said that there was a law and order problem in only two of 28 districts in Balochistan.
Asked if there was a plan to kill Akbar Bugti, he said the operation in the province was against criminals and ‘Akbar Bugti was one of them’. He said that the whereabouts of Akbar Bugti were known and at present he was virtually a prisoner of the Maris.
He explained that the arrest of Akbar Bugti was being delayed because every possible effort had been made to avoid any collateral damage. “Bugtis are finished and things are coming to a close now.”
He said terrorists were in trouble, their commanders were surrendering and another six would be giving up tomorrow.
He said that displaced people of the troubled districts had started returning and 19 sub-tribes had moved back to Dera Bugti.
In reply to a question, the official said India wanted to destabilise Balochistan and added that the number of its ‘strategically located’ consulates was more than India had in the United States.
He said steps were being taken for development of Balochistan to alleviate the sense of deprivation among its people. He said 14 districts had been designated ‘A’ class and other districts would be brought on a par with them in terms of development.
The official said that the share of Balochistan in the Public Sector Development Programme, which was Rs3 billion previously, had been increased to Rs32 billion.
He said 30 out of the 35 recommendations of the Mushahid Hussain Committee were workable. He said the government was sincere in implementing these recommendations but the rocket attack on Jan 7 and killing of 16 FC personnel on March 16 were meant to disrupt the process.
He said the writ of the government would be restored in Balochistan and the so-called sardars would not be allowed to treat people as their hostages.
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