We cannot stop another US raid: Magsi

QUETTA:

“I have no idea whether or not the Quetta Shura exists here, but if it does, then nobody can stop the US from carrying out more attacks,” said Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi on Thursday.

He was addressing the media at the Sardar Bahadur Khan (SBK) Women’s University during its fourth academic convocation.

Magsi said he has no information regarding the existence of the Quetta Shura, but added that no one could prevent America from carrying out drone strikes if it decided to. “Who will stop the US?” he said, referring to the Abbottabad raid.

Responding to a question regarding the killing of the five alleged terrorists in the Kharotabad area, Magsi said it was the provincial government’s responsibility to investigate the incident. “I think the judges should take note of such incidents,” he said.

When asked if the Frontier Corps (FC) had set up a parallel government, he said, “Law and order is a provincial matter and it is in its jurisdiction to depute the FC or give it extra responsibility.”

Asked about the law and order situation, Magsi said the question was directed more towards the provincial government and hence, they should deal with it. “Problems will not be resolved by holding tribal Jirgas because we are not living in an era where such traditional Jirgas produce results,” he added.

Referring to US Ambassador Cameron Munter’s recent visit to Quetta, Magsi said he was not a tribal chief for him to have participated in a Jirga.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2011.