NEW DELHI: The separatist Balochistan Republican Party (BRP) leader Braham­dagh Bugti on Monday said he would apply for political asylum in India.

“We have decided that we will formally file asylum papers to the Indian government. We will start work on it right away. Will go to the Indian embassy and will follow the legal process,” The Indian Express quoted Mr Bugti as saying. He said that he would call the Indian embassy for an appointment.

Read: Switzerland rejects Brahamdagh request for political asylum

Mr Bugti also said that like-minded Baloch leaders had decided to file criminal cases against Pakistan Army generals and China at the International Court of Justice.

“Will take China to the International Court of Justice with the help of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and India,” said the BRP leader who is currently living in exile in Switzerland.

Last month, Mr Bugti thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raising the issue of the situation in Balochistan in the latter’s Independence Day speech.

Earlier there were reports, according to the Express, that India was considering granting political asylum to Baloch activists living in exile. The reports said that a decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting of BRP in Geneva on Sunday.

India last granted political asylum to the Dalai Lama in 1959.

There was no comment from any side if India was ready to grant asylum to Mr Bugti despite its apparent support to his cause. The Express did not say where and to whom Mr Bugti was speaking.

Mr Bugti is a self-proclaimed survivor of an attack on his party’s hideout in Kohlu near Quetta in 2006 launched by Pakistani Army. His grandfather Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was killed in the attack.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2016