Brahamdagh, Hyrbyair and Banuk booked on sedition charges

Five cases registered against three self-exiled Baloch insurgents

QUETTA: A slew of sedition cases have been registered against three self-exiled Baloch insurgents for supporting the Indian prime minister’s blatant interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs.

Narendra Modi in his August 15 Independence Day speech accused Pakistan of human rights abuses in Balochistan – a move described by analysts as a desperate attempt to shift the international media spotlight from brutalities of Indian security forces in the disputed state of Kashmir.



The cases were registered against Brahamdagh Bugti, the leader of the Baloch Republican Army; Hyrbyair Marri, the chief of the Baloch Liberation Army; and Banuk Karima, the leader of Balochistan Student Organisation-Azad.

The BLA and BRA are blamed for most separatist violence in Balochistan. Brahamdagh is currently seeking political asylum in Switzerland, and Hyrbyair is living in self-exile in the UK, while Banuk is based in Canada.

The cases were registered at five police stations of Khuzdar district on the complaints of Muhammad Hussain, Munir Ahmed, Muhammad Aslam, Ghulam Yaseen Jatak and Muhammad Rahim.



Sections 120, 121, 123 and 353 of the Pakistan Penal Code have been invoked in the complaints. These sections refer to “concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment”; “waging or attempting to wage war or abetting waging of war against Pakistan”; “concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war”; and “assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty”.

According to DPO Khuzdar Muhammad Ashraf Jatak, the petitioners claimed that Brahamdagh, Hyrbyair and Banuk had supported Modi’s Aug 15 speech and asked him to intervene in Balochistan.

Rallies were staged across Balochistan to denounce Modi’s remarks.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2016.