Federal cabinet meets in Quetta: Judicial commission to probe Bugti murder
At its first-ever meeting in the Balochistan capital on Wednesday, the federal cabinet decided to constitute a judicial commission under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge to probe the murder of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti.
The commission, however, was promptly rejected by Bugti’s eldest son Nawabzada Jamil Bugti who said he had no expectations from the incumbent government.
Akbar Bugti was killed during a military operation in 2006.
The decision was taken during the meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, that focused on the implementation of the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package.
When asked if the move was an attempt to delay the Balochistan High court orders that sought arrest warrants of the accused nominated in the Bugti murder case, Federal Minister for Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said it is not a conspiracy.
“We are talking about the apex court which is appropriate considering the sensitivity of the case,” she said.
Awan claimed that the government has implemented 60% of the Balochistan package while another 25% will be implemented in the next two months.
She said that the prime minister has lifted the ban on recruitment in government departments while the Establishment Division had indicated 6,700 vacant posts between grades 7 and 20 in different departments of the federal government.
“These posts will be filled up by candidates from Balochistan,” she said, adding that the selection board will conduct the test and interview in Quetta shortly.
Nationalists and missing persons
Prime Minister Gilani said that a committee has been constituted to hold talks with Baloch nationalists and will work in consultation with the governor and the chief minister.
The premier also expressed ‘concern’ over the issue of missing persons and said that a judicial tribunal and a public commission are already looking into the issue.
Foreign forces, hostile agencies
Repeating his mantra, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that foreign forces and hostile security agencies are involved in creating a law and order situation in Balochistan.
The interior minister claimed that the situation in Balochistan vis-à-vis terrorism-related, ethnic and sectarian killings was “comparably better than in other provinces.” Over the past three years, 134 Punjabi-speaking people have been killed while another 45 have been killed in sectarian violence, he said.
While ruling out involvement of security forces and intelligence agencies, the minister said that 116 bullet-riddled bodes have been recovered in the last two years.
Regarding allegations of harassment by the Frontier Corps (FC) and coast guards personnel, Malik said that the government had abolished 35 FC check posts and curtailed the powers of the coast guards. “The FC will be removed once recruitment in provincial forces, including the police, is completed,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2011.
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It is about time that the judicial commission should start working. The basic question is, before the attack on 80 years old Akbar Bugti, Mush made a press statement that “he would not know what has hit him?”This statement alone says it all. Irrespective of whether AB was a good man or not, he did not deserve a death by Pakistani air force and army. This same dictator Mush was keeping people like OBL in a custom made safe house, while killing the nationalist leaders of Pakistan’s smaller province. Pakistani army and people are upset at the death of OBL at the hands of Americans but they are reluctant to give justice to a Baloch leader who had opted for Pakistan. Multiple acts of high treason, killing his political opponents without trying in a court, throwing all the high judiciary in detention are some of the achievements of Mush’s era.
Akbar Bugti died when he tried to fight it out with troops. Some basic questions are to be answered. 1. What was Akbar doing in cave ? 2. Did the cave collapse due to external firing or internal blast?. 3. Did Akbar died of bullet wounds or collapsed cave? 4. Why were the people around him armed with rocket launchers and machine guns? 5. Does an individual has a right to private army?. 6. What is the role of armed forces of Pakistan if pitched against the private army? 7. What is the law regarding self defence for the troops?. 8. Can commission ask the armed forces of Pakistan to refrain from right of self defence?. 9. Should the troops seek the permission of courts before any action? 10. Did Akbar approach the court to refrain the forces to act against him?
So it is a closed case.
It is expected that the commission will take into account all perspectives. For instance Bugti's book, his interview with Christina Lamb etc etc.