Federal
Minister of Interior Rehman Malik on August 2 told the
Senate that external aggression and world power game
could not be ruled out in the Balochistan issue as the
situation there was similar to that of East Pakistan
in 1971, as he held the Balochistan Liberation Army
(BLA) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) responsible for all
the major terrorism and kidnapping activities in the
province, reports The Nation. Malik said hostile
elements were exploiting the indigenous issue of the
Balochistan and there was a planned external aggression
linked to regional security, adding that a roadmap had
been prepared to disintegrate Balochistan. “We are a
nuclear power and it is threat for the world,” he added.
The Minister
questioned whether there were no human rights violations
in Punjab and why such issues were highlighted in Balochistan
and why a US Congressman took up the matter of Balochistan?
But he also answered these queries in the same breath
and said it was because of a broader conspiracy. “We
will have to find the solution before it is too late,”
he said, adding that the slogan of an independent Balochistan
was not a new phenomenon as similar movements were led
by Nourez Khan in 1948-1950, Sher Mohammad Bijarani
in 1963-69 and Kher Bukhsh Marri in 1973-78. He, however,
claimed that the people of Balochistan trusted the Federation.
“Baloch Separatists and nationalists have links with
banned outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
and other proscribed organisations,” the Minister added.
“LeJ is one of the main organisation that in support
with the (BLA is involved in major terrorist activities
in the province,” he added.
Mentioning
a number of incidents of terrorism, killings and kidnapping
in the province, he said 299 IED explosions took place,
179 FC soldiers were killed and 502 incidents of abduction
were reported in the area since 2010, while 89 policemen
and 872 civilians were killed and 1,177 people injured.
Malik said these figures were verifiable from provincial
home department and intelligence agencies.
He
claimed that BLA was behind all these incidents. The
minister alleged that the BLA was a killing machine
and being controlled from Afghanistan, adding that terrorists
from Afghanistan side crossed border and committed terror
activities in Pakistan, while Maulvi Faqir Mohammad
and Fazlullah were also hiding in Afghanistan. He told
the house that Brahmdagh Bugti was involved in kidnapping
of John Solecki, chief of the UN refugees’ office, and
Hyrbyair Marri, while living in UK, used to make a call
and people were killed in Balochistan. He, at the same
time said, the BLA used to threaten the workers in Balochistan
that were associated with different development projects
there.
Malik
stressed that the problem of Balochistan was deprivation
of the people of the area. “89 DMG posts and 50 PSP
posts are lying vacant in the province,” he added. The
Minister said there was a perception that the FC kidnapped
and killed the people but the fact was the forces were
there to protect the people of the area and borders.
He said five per cent areas declared as ‘A’ in Balochistan
were under the control of police and other areas marked
as B under the control of levies. |
