Pakistan

On the run: Brahamdagh’s asylum in Switzerland opposed

Pakistan conveys objections to Swiss authorities over Baloch leader’s plea.

Qaiser Butt March 30, 2011

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has strongly opposed a plea by a Baloch separatist leader for political asylum in Switzerland, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The foreign ministry has conveyed to the Swiss mission in Islamabad its reservations on the move by Nawabzada Brahamdagh Bugti, who also heads the Balochistan Republican Party, a splinter group of the Jamhoori Wattan Party (JWP), official sources said.

Islamabad has also asked its ambassador in Berne to take up the issue with the Swiss authorities.

On a formal request from the Balochistan government, the interior ministry had asked the foreign ministry to oppose the request by Brahamdagh, a grandson of the slain Bugti chieftain Nawab Akbar Bugti.

The Swiss authorities have been informed that the secessionist leader was wanted on charges of anti-state activities in Pakistan.

Brahamdagh, who secretly flew to Switzerland from Kabul along with his family and two associates last year, had submitted the application for political asylum early this year.

“Apparently Islamabad is opposed to Brahamdagh’s plea, but at the same time it is satisfied that he will not be able to stoke the Baloch insurgency from Switzerland,” a government source told The Express Tribune. “For this reason we are not demanding his extradition,” he added.

Pakistan had repeatedly said that Brahamdagh was hiding in Kabul from where he had been spearheading the Baloch insurgency. And the matter was taken up with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, when he visited Islamabad last time. He had reportedly promised to look into the matter.

“Under mounting pressure from the Pakistan government, Brahamdagh was forced by the Afghan government to leave the country,” the source said.

However, Brahamdagh’s supporters in Quetta claim that he left Afghanistan following reports that Pakistani agencies had hired an Afghan journalist to assassinate him in Kabul.

Another official source claimed that Brahamdagh possesses Indian, Afghan and Pakistani passports. “He was being funded by Indian spy agencies through Arjun Das Bugti, a close aide of the late Nawab Akbar Bugti,” the source added.

Nawab Akbar Bugti had awarded the tribal name of Bugti to local Hindus and supported Arjun Das for the office of deputy speaker of the Balochistan Assembly from the JWP platform.

Arjun had migrated to India a few years ago where he was granted Indian nationality.

If the Swiss government accepts his plea, Brahamdagh would be the third Baloch nationalist leader to get political asylum in Europe.

Earlier Britain had granted asylum to Baloch leader Hyrbyair Marri. And another Baloch nationalist, Prince Salman of Qalat, was also granted asylum in Britain where he had set up ‘Government of Balochistan in exile.’

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (13)

anonymous | 13 years ago | Reply The Baloch nawabs/sardars/princes etc are the worst enemy of the Baloch people. The people have been oppressed and kept in poverty so that they cannot stand up against their own leaders, who are interested in only being kings and keeping their people as slaves. This scenario also seems to apply to most of Pakistan these days, we must all rise against the corruption and fight for truth and justice.

Agnostic Muslim | 13 years ago | Reply Wah ji Wah! Afghanistan and the US can 'shelter' and 'assist in traveling' wanted terrorist leaders from Pakistan, but Pakistan is blamed for 'sheltering OBL and Mullah Omar' despite no actual evidence to support that claim. So what does the 'baigharat liberal brigade' have to say about the US now? Should we not expect the same sorts of condemnation for the US and Afghanistan in 'sheltering and supporting terrorist proxies against other nations' that the liberals typically reserve for the Army and ISI?

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Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply @Mo: Where do you get this idea that pakistan is helping out the west ??? Which madrassa did you do your schooling on??? How are you keeping west safe?? Please don't divert from your statement! do answer the questions asked and then we will see which IVY league madrassa taught you this nonsense !! OK Awaiting your response at your earliest convenience please!! By the way the cricket is also close !!! want to know the score?? 142 for 4 from 33 overs !!!

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply One country's criminal is another country's freedom fighter !!! Heard this too often from pakistan in past ! So what's so different this time??? Also why does Pakistan think it can have any influence in the domain of the swiss? Unless the leaders of the country are threatening to withdraw all their substantial ill gotten money out of swiss banks!!!!!

salim | 13 years ago | Reply Its about time this family of crimnals and terrorists are made accountable

Mo | 13 years ago | Reply @fake name Ali Balouch west is not feeding pakistan.West is paying for out help.We keep the west safe

Shahryar Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply A petty criminal & a war lord like his grand father. These people who are on the Indian payroll should be brought to justice. I would now like to see the CJP take sou moto action on this, as he so often does on other irrelevant things.

saleem | 13 years ago | Reply He is not a criminal but fighting for the rights of Baluchs. Anyone calling criminal to brahamdagh or any other baluch who fights for their own rights is not loyal to Pakistan. These baluchs are the son of the soils and need complete autonomy from Pakistan while still remaining in Pakistan.

Allah Buksh Baloch | 13 years ago | Reply Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was Baloch elder, but during his life time he had made the life of his own and surrounding tribes a hell. His near and dear ones never liked him for is haughtiness , arrogance and atrocious acts. He had confessed thirty murders to a famous European anchor during an interview. His actual toll is supposedly much higher. Though his death is much painful, but God”s plans are ultimate. His Children and Grand Children should learn to live in peace. God has not created other humans to be tormented by his rogue children. Every day they are involved in Bomb Blasts, Kidnapping, Blasting Electric Pylons, Blowing Gas Pipe Lines, Firing on Trains and every type of inhuman acts. They should bow before God and ask for his forgiveness, instead of becoming a nuisance for the human beings.

Ali Baluch | 13 years ago | Reply @Anwar West is feeding your Pakistan,how long will your state survive with a begging bowl? isn't funny?

Anwar Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply The great Bugti standing in line to get his welfare money....every month. This is too funny. Better than jail in Pakistan.

DJ | 13 years ago | Reply this is the offspring of the 'great bugti' who musharraf 'murdered'? how noble!!

andrea | 13 years ago | Reply Let this criminal stay in Switzerland where he can collect social assistance and live the second class life of an asylum seeker. We all know how the Swiss treat the various Third World refugees who claim asylum there. They have no proper immigration route for Third World migrants to settle there so the route of the refugee is just as well for this type of person. Brahamdagh is an agent of Indian intelligence in cahoots with their Afghani lackeys who is responsible for many crimes in Pakistan, especially against the Baluch people. It would be great if Pakistani could have this criminal extradited and brought to justice but failing that, an extended stay as an asylum guest of the Swiss may be just desserts.

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