QUETTA, Feb 17: Jamhoori Watan Party chief Nawab Akbar Bugti has accused the Frontier Corps and Defence Service Guards of having fired thousands of rockets and mortar shells on civilian areas , killing five people and wounding many others during recent disturbances in Sui.

Taking to newsmen in his native Dera Bugti town on Thursday evening, he described as baseless remarks made about the Sui situation by the provincial governor and said that some Baloch elements might have fired a few shells, but the government forces retaliated with hundreds of rockets and mortar shells, destroying many homes and commercial establishments.

Nawab Bugti deplored that the governor had blamed the Balochs for all the destruction of civilian property and losses. He said that government forces and agencies were armed to the teeth, possessing advanced weapons, whereas the Balochs were weak and under-fed people. If the Balochs had weapons they would not have been exploited for more than half a century, he added.

Referring to the governor's contention that no-one would take away Gwadar from Balochistan, Nawab Bugti said that outsiders, from Punjab and other provinces, could be brought and settled in Gwadar. Such an action on the part of the government, he said, would be an unpardonable crime against the Baloch people.

He said that the ARD would be holding an important meeting in Dera Bugti to express solidarity with the Baloch people. Referring to the lady doctor's assault case, Nawab Bugti said that the principal accused was an influential person who had not been arrested yet. On the contrary, he said, innocent Baloch people were being arrested without any proof.

About allegations levelled against him by the ISPR director-general, the JWP chief said that he had extended the deadline by another one week for the government spokesman to present evidence before a jury comprising Ayaz Amir, Mushahid Hussain and Irshad Ahmed Haqani. The allegations, he said, might have created some doubts in people's minds and, therefore, must be clarified.