In a startling revelation on Sunday, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Baloch Republican Party chief Brahamdagh Bugti operated training camps in Afghanistan which were dismantled after Islamabad conveyed its concerns about the matter to Afghanistan.
Bugti had allegedly established training camps in Kandahar from where he was fuelling the insurgency in Balochistan, Malik said. He allegedly trained around 4,000 to 5,000 men for action against the Frontier Corps in the restive province.
“Bugti hired three large houses for training. We have shared these details with Afghan officials,” he told reporters at the Islamabad Press Club.
The interior minister said Pakistan had requested the Afghan president to deport Bugti after which he was forced to leave the country. After Bugti’s departure from Kabul, the situation in Balochistan is under control, the minister claimed.
Taking notice of Islamabad’s concerns, the United Nations and Afghanistan had told the self-exiled Baloch leader to take political asylum anywhere in the world after which Brahamdagh moved to Switzerland.
Malik added that Afghan President Hamid Karzai has admitted that militants from his country were fuelling tensions in Balochistan.
“President Karzai has promised to stop infiltration of militants from Afghanistan into Pakistan,” Malik said. This is the first time a senior Pakistani official has said on record that the insurgency in Balochistan is being aggravated by Afghanistan.
At a trilateral summit between Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan last month, Pakistani officials had complained to Karzai about the issue.
In response to Islamabad’s request, Kabul has formally given its assurance to stop the infiltration of militants from Kandahar to Balochistan’s border district Chaman.
But, on the other hand, Afghan security forces have also been blaming Islamabad for clandestine support to Taliban militants. Pakistani officials have accused Afghan security forces of supporting Quetta Shura – the top Taliban leadership council – for plotting terror incidents in the province.
Visas to American citizens
Pakistan will not extend visas of American citizens without substantial reasons, he added. “No American citizen will be allowed to enter Pakistan without valid documents. They will only be allowed inside Pakistan if they seek proper permission from the interior and foreign ministries.”
Check on private security firms
Malik said the interior ministry has kept a check on private security firms’ activities since he assumed charge in 2008. “Their NOCs are being verified. Heads of these firms have been asked to renew their NOCs and licences as and when they expire.”
(Read: Human rights in Balochistan)
Published in The Express Tribune, March 5th, 2012.
COMMENTS (16)
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Pakistan should close all Afghan Taliban training camps, Haqani Network, and Gulbadin Hekmatyar terrorist groups, whom are supported and armed by Pakistan. After that Pakistan can expect from us to close Baloch camps.
@Khan: I am 100% with you on that.
@WoW: We have a territorial dispute with them a.k.a Kashmir .. but does that mean we starve our own people and ignore welfare of 180 million people? Does that mean that our own populace has to sleep on the roads of Lahore without a roof on their head? If Kahmiris truely wants to be independent then their time will come too as no one can make any one slave. Trade with India will bring in cheap commodities which will benefit people on the street .. we are already suffering with high inflation and unemployment .. We have to concentrate on our education, population and economy for our better future.
Didn't this bad-hair minister shout "pardon, pardon, pardon" to the exiled Balochi nationalist leaders a while ago? He's making a case against Karzai government and using the Balochi nationalist names as dissidents again?
I can tell you this man has symptoms of dementia. Keep an eye on him...he can flip flop the whole country in a matter of weeks.
@Pakistan politics: Why on earth is Pakistan offering India (enemy number one) MFN? This is like giving India bullet to eliminate Pakistan.
@Shah: Can you please help me to a link where it National Assembly has been given proof of Indian involvement. Hope you do answer, otherwise cut the crap and return to your cave.
Why should we trust Pakistan, UBL was kept in the Army Camp. Hqani and Qweta shora is based in pakistan training camps are made all over pakistan the used it in kashmir and Afghanistan. why we should remove only the Bugte insurgents from afghanistan. but any way it was a good step taken by Hamid Karzai and hope the pakistani side do the same other wise the bugte and bugtee family is still alive.
@Afghan: you mean send back refugees you sure to take them?
@vasan: no not really after visiting this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd9lPuzOxp0
@vasan:
offcourse Pakistan will. When India will close this TTP camps in Afghansitan.
@vasan: let has no camps in Pakistan, u gave wrong information and evidence, take care of ur naxals and baaghi's first, commenting on ET wont help u brother :)
and yet we are offering pardon to these terrorists?
& media says that Bugti's are or were just innocent Pakistani's!!!!
We have known all along that Afghanistan has been a staging ground for criminals trying to hurt Baluchistan. The border with Afghanistan needs to be fenced and properly controlled to prevent entry of miscreants on the payroll of Indian agencies.
As a sign of good faith, the Pakistani establishment should also dismantle the Afghan Taliban (Quetta Shura) hideouts in Quetta and Haqani Network in North Waziristan.
Will Pakistan govt also do the same about LeT camps about which India has provided location and evidences?. If Pak's claim (ie will not allow terrorism against any country emanating from its soil, is to be believed), then they must take action