QUETTA: Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti has called upon the federal government to ban the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) by declaring it a terrorist organisation for its alleged links with the Indian intelligence agency.

“The agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) with the help of the MQM and militant organisations has been fomenting unrest and creating law and order in Karachi and Balochistan,” he said at a press conference here on Tuesday. DIG of the Frontier Corps Brig Tahir Mehmood was also present.

Mr Bugti said that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)’s recent report on the MQM had proved that Indian was involved in a conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan, particularly through acts of violence and terrorism in Balochistan and Karachi.

He said that the RAW was providing funds and arms and ammunition to militants in Pakistan.

He said that the RAW wanted to dismember Pakistan by encouraging separatist tendency in Balochistan and Karachi but its nefarious designs would be foiled.

He said that the MQM could be banned on the basis of the confession made by some of its leaders before the UK police that their party received funds from India.

In reply to a question, he said that differences among some militant groups had recently sparked clashes in Kohlu and Dera Bugti districts in which several militants had been killed.

On intelligence reports, the minister said, security forces had recently conducted operations against terrorists in different areas of Balochistan and recovered heavy caches of weapons and explosives. He said that the operation continued in different areas, including Awaran, but refused to divulge details.

Giving details of arms recovery, he said personnel of the FC, police force and Anti-Terrorist Force had jointly conducted raids in Majak area of Qila Abdullah, arrested three smugglers and recovered hundreds of mortars, 74 rocket launchers, two sub-machine guns with 850 rounds, several rifles with 4,810 rounds and a telescope.

In raids in Khanozai area of Pishin, some improvised explosive devices, 60 Kalashnikovs, 204 pistols with 245 magazines and thousands of rounds of light machine gun have been seized.

In Dera Murad Jamali, law enforcement personnel have recovered one RPG 7, three rocket mortars, four SMGs with 1,000 rounds and 10 rifles.

One RPG 7 with eight mortars, two Chinese LMGs, four SMGs and several rifles with thousands of rounds have been recovered in a raid in Bolan.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2015

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