August 28, 2006	Monday	Sha'aban 3, 1427

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QUETTA, Aug 27: The killing of Jamhoori Watan Party chief Nawab Akbar Bugti has been widely condemned by political parties and student, labour and farmer organisations.

Statements issued here on Sunday warned that use of extra-constitutional methods was dangerous for the unity of the federation.

Balochistan Assembly Deputy Speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani said Nawab Bugti was a respectable personality and the tragic incident was a big loss to national unity. He said the sense of deprivation in Balochistan would increase and the incident would be of no help to the government.

MNA Maulana Noor Mohammad of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam supported a strike call given by the Baloch Alliance and demanded that the federal government should quit.

National Party senior vice-president Sardar Sanaullah Zehri said the martyrdom of Nawab Bugti and his colleagues would give impetus to the Baloch political movement. Speaking at a press conference in Khuzdar, he said the death of Nawab Bugti proved that such sacrifices were needed to protect the Baloch land.

Sardar Zehri urged nationalist parties to resign from the assemblies. He said the Baloch people should abandon democratic struggle and organise a resistance movement.

Awami National Party vice-president Arbab Zahir Kasi said the rulers had not learnt any lesson from the loss of East Pakistan.

He said that if the army had been a national institution, it would not have used helicopters and artillery in Dera Bugti and Kohlu. He alleged that the army was protecting the interest of Punjab.

Pukhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party’s provincial secretary Usman Kakar condemned the killing and said his party supported the Baloch political movement.

Provincial Amir of the Jamaat-i-Islami Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi said the incident should be condemned.

Khuda Noor Khan of the PML (Nawaz) said the nation would pay a big price for the unwise policies of the military-led government which were endangering the integrity of the country.

The Hazara Democratic Party stressed that issues should be resolved peacefully.

The Balochistan Labour Federation, Farmers’ Association, Baloch Students’ Organisation, Pukhtun Students’ Federation and People’s Students’ Federation also condemned the killing.