September 04, 2006	Monday	Sha'aban 10, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: The Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) on Sunday said the opposition was not politicising the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti. “It is the government which is brutalising politics through extra-judicial target killing of its opponents”, said PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal in a rejoinder to Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani’s statement.

The information minister briefing the mediapersons on Balochistan situation asked the opposition to “stop politicising the Kohlu incident for their personal gains”.

Mr Iqbal in a statement said even some of the ruling PML senior leaders, including former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, had condemned the Kohlu tragedy.

“The information minister’s assertion that Nawaz Sharif had pushed Nawab Akbar Bugti out of the centre is baseless”, the PML- N leader said.

During both tenures of Mr Sharif, relations between provinces and the Centre were very good. In April, 1997, Baloch leaders Nawab Akbar Bugti and Sardar Ataullah Mengal visited Islamabad at the invitation of the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who arranged their meeting with legislatures. Nawab Bugti’s party was performing its role in the national politics.

He said till October 12, 1999, when Musharraf overthrew a democratic government, Nawab Bugti’s son-in-law Mir Humayun Marri was deputy chairman of the Senate. There was no sign of any terrorist activity in Balochistan prior to October 12, 1999.

Mr Iqbal said the PML-N government had initiated major mega projects including revival of the Saindak copper project, starting Gwadar port, Makran Coastal Highway, Meerani dam and Kachi canal projects for the development of Balochistan. These projects were frozen after the 1999 coup but later realising their usefulness the Musharraf regime had to restore them.

During 1988-1999, the federation was strengthened as all political parties and forces were allowed due role in national politics.

During Musharraf regime, the federation has suffered tremendous loss. Today, entire Balochistan is agitating and other provinces are expressing solidarity with the restive province over the tragedy. If Nawab Bugti was a terrorist then why did Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain negotiate with him?

The policy of ruling by force is disastrous in the 21st century. Today, even children don’t accept dictation from parents and expect to be convinced through dialogue. How can a nation of 150 million be kept together by the power of gun?

Referring to the debacle of the erstwhile East pakistan, Mr Iqbal said Gen Yahya Khan also tried to apply military solution to a political problem, which resulted in the breakup of Pakistan.

He said denying the right of burial to the family of Nawab Bugti was the most inhumanact. To add insult his body was buried under the shadows of guns in a disgusting coffin with seals and locks, which showed complete moral bankruptcy of the rulers.