ISLAMABAD: Balochistan has been bleeding since 2004. Successive governments tried to stem the bleeding – but to no avail so far. Government and intelligence officials believe some foreign forces are also stoking violence in the province, where ethnic, political, sectarian and militant lines have criss-crossed to further destabilize the province.
Baloch nationalists were earlier reluctant to buy this claim. However, veteran Baloch politician Sardar Akhtar Mengal on Sunday admitted to the presence of “death squads sponsored by Pakistan’s neighbours and foreign powers”.
In an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune, Mengal also condemned the deadly violence perpetrated by Baloch separatists in the province. A medley of separatist groups – especially Balochistan Liberation Army, Baloch Republican Army and Baloch Liberation Army – have upped their insurgency ante since the killing of Jamhoori Watan Party chief Nawab Akbar Bugti in a military operation in 2006.
He acknowledged that Baloch insurgents have been targeting non-Baloch settlers, mainly those from Punjab, in Balochistan. “However, some government officials also want the settlers to flee the province and sell their properties at throw-away prices,” he added.
It is perhaps the first time that Mengal has openly condemned the activities of Baloch insurgents — not easy to do since his younger brother Javed Mengal and two of his nephews – Nooruddin Mengal and Bhawal Mengal – are also allegedly involved in insurgency.
For his part, Sardar Akhtar Mengal – the head of his own faction of Balochistan National Party (BNP-M) – said his party has from the beginning renounced violence as a means to achieve political and economic rights of the Baloch people.
Mengal ended his four-year self-imposed exile and returned to Pakistan on March 25, 2013 to lead his party in the May 11 general elections. All separatist groups are opposed to parliamentary politics.
Mengal spoke about his predicament. “The Baloch militants consider me a traitor while the security establishment also treats me as an enemy,” he said. “I’m being targeted by both.”
Asked if he was willing to mediate between the insurgents and the government, Mengal said: “Both [Baloch insurgents and security establishment] speak through the barrel of the gun. They cannot understand my language.”
Instead Mengal reiterated that the six-point formula he had spelt out before the May 11 elections to stabilise the situation in Balochistan was still workable. “My six-point formula is within the parameters of the Constitution,” he said. “We are willing for a debate with anyone who thinks my six points are against the interest of Pakistan.”
Mengal also strongly criticised the security establishment for targeting ‘Baloch political workers’. He alleged that ‘death squads’ backed by intelligence agencies were eliminating critics of the establishment’s policies. “They [death squads] are killing and kidnapping people because they have been given a licence by the establishment to operate against anyone,” he added.
Asked by bloodshed perpetrated by Baloch insurgents, he said: “State agencies should not behave like militants. There should be a difference between the conduct of the state and of militants.”
Mengal’s party fared badly in the May 11 elections which he claimed were massively rigged. “The elections were rigged by the establishment to stop my party from coming to power,” he alleged.
Mengal, who is in the federal capital, is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif besides attending a book launch. He is confident that Nawaz can resolve the Balochistan issue.
“I had detailed discussions with Mian Sahib on all important issues after the general elections. “Mian Sahib assured me that he would do all he could to steer Balochistan out of crisis,” said Mengal. “I will try to meet him on his return from China.”
Source: ET
Actually – Mengal never said anything like that. What he DID say was this :
Mengal also strongly criticised the security establishment for targeting ‘Baloch political workers’. He alleged that ‘death squads’ backed by intelligence agencies were eliminating critics of the establishment’s policies. “They [death squads] are killing and kidnapping people because they have been given a licence by the establishment to operate against anyone,” he added.
tch tch tch… PKKH misreporting facts. How unsurprising
Yea…except for the fact that he did no such thing…nice try troll.
At least Akhtar Mengal has the courage to speak the truth. Some of the others, even baluchi ex senators vomit filth against my country my Pakistan. They are greedy, selfish, traitors, money and power lusting animals who will sell their mothers for Money from their fathers in UK, America and Hindus. These traitors should ask their mothers who their Hindu fathers are;
Strike two Moron.. strike two. Why can’t you be bothered to do a simple google search? Read the original article
http://tribune.com.pk/story/573937/mengal-admits-foreign-involvement-in-balochistan/
LOL thanks for providing me the link that proves you wrong. I guess nitpicking is all u can do u loser. here’s what the article YOU YOURSELF gave:
However, veteran Baloch politician Sardar Akhtar Mengal on Sunday admitted to the presence of “death squads sponsored by Pakistan’s neighbours and foreign powers”
notice the words “Pakistan’s neighbours”. are u so stupid that u can’t even read simple english? now get lost.
so u see he in fact DID say that foreign powers are involved in balochistan. nice try with the nitcpicking though to make it seem as if he was blaming intelligence agencies.
I read mr mengals “six points” and its safe to say that he’s a naive fool.
1) there are no covert and overt operations against the baloch. it’s against the terrorists supported by RAW and others. and even that is done by the frontier corp
2)missing persons? u mean the ones who are joining these terrorists and killing innocent ppl? the one’s who the supreme court refuse to prosecute? or the one’s that raw, cia, mossad and blackwater (or whatever it calls itself now) kidnapped? or those kidnapped by the bla? there’s absolutely no proof that isi is doing this. but let’s see who’s blaming it: US and nato allies, india, the terrorists and their leaders who are sipping tea in mansions in UK, foreign ngos, indian/american bought pakistani media and of course the supreme court that hasn’t prosecuted any terrorists. yup real credible.
3)what death squads? this is a first. no one has ever mentioned isi death squads. in other words a silly attempt to malign isi.
4) what interference? once again no has said this ever. mengal is trying to cover up the ineptitude of politicians by blaming isi.
5) agreed. but mengal would have better luck if he knew who is behind this: see point 2.
6) i agree. but how exactly will this stop the conflict? these ppl are not the ones behind the unrest.
all in all it seems more of the same media regurgitation against isi. isi this, isi that and all w/o any proof. they must be itching to bring down the isi so that their nefarious designs against pakistan can go much more smoothly.
if the gov has any self-respect it needs to put forward the following counter six points: (1) Stop and cease all terrorist training camps being run in Afghanistan; (2) Stop asking for support from foreign secret agencies; (3) Stop the target killings of Punjabis, Pathans, Mohajirs, shia and yes balochis as well of course; (4) All rich and influential Sardars should share their wealth with the common Baloch; (5) Stop sabotaging any development activity in Balochistan; and (6) Bring to justice all the terrorists who were involved in the target killing of settlers, and people who were just passing through Balochistan.
The real problem in balochistan is the sardars like bugti, mengal and marri who want to keep the baloch illiterate and ignorant so that the they can continue to be enslaved. ironically even within these tribes there are a sizable number who are proud to be pakistani. how come whenever the army or government builds schools in balochistan, the schools get encroached or destroyed. why is it that the feudals refuse to allow roads to be built in the province that will connect the rural population to the urban population? why is it that whenever a hospital is built in balochistan the feudals want their percentage of corruption money? why is it that whenever a balochistan natural resource is sold like natural gas, the money never gets shared by the poor balochis because the feudals steal it all themselves? Why have the feudals built their own private jails in balochistan to punish their own people? Why is it that the only reason they want to separate is because they want more power and money? These are the REAL questions.
The situation in balochistan is essentially the same as in other provinces: poverty due to corrupt elite. corrupt officials who only care about themselves. health and education not enough due to said elite. the only difference is that in balochistan the corrupt and power hungry minority wants to rule over their own piece of land to further exploit their people. The fact is that it’s only a small brainwashed minority asking for independence whereas the majority of the baloch are proud to be pakistani.