Peace initiative: Govt devising plan to woo Baloch separatists

Balochistan govt engaged in talks with Brahumdagh Bugti

QUETTA/ ISLAMABAD: The federal government is devising a strategy to bring the angry Baloch nationalists back to mainstream politics, sources in Interior Ministry revealed on Saturday.

“The government is serious to tackle the issue and is taking measures. Soon the people will hear good news on this front,” said a source in the ministry. He shared these views at the time when Swiss authorities have turned down a political asylum request by self-exiled Baloch leader, Brahumdagh Bugti.



Meanwhile, Balochistan government’s spokesperson Anwarul Haq Kakar said the provincial government has been engaged in talks with Brahumdagh Bugti but the issue was not made public owing to its sensitive nature.

“I have no knowledge as to under which laws Brahumdagh’s request for political asylum has been turned down by Swiss government; however, violence or some immigration problems could be the reasons for rejection of his asylum request,” Kakar told The Express Tribune on Saturday.

The Swiss immigration authorities rejected Brahumdagh’s request, citing Pakistan government’s decision of declaring him a terrorist. The Baloch leader, however, is given the right to file an appeal against the decision.



Soon after the Swiss Court’s decision, Brahumdagh wrote on his Twitter account that “the world’s best spy agency is trying to involve in cheap propaganda against him.” In another tweet, he asked his ‘colleagues, party activists and Baloch nation’ not to worry about the news regarding his asylum.

“As regards his tweet about ‘world’s best security agency’s propaganda’, he simply wants to strengthen himself politically and wants to remain relevant in political arena,” Kakar added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2016.