Following the attack, the structure was destroyed.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar revealed that the residency had been attacked by five militants, who had removed the Pakistan flag and raised the BLA flag in its place.
A rocket attack had killed a policeman on Saturday and gutted an historic summer retreat used by Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the resource-rich province of Balochistan, only days after a new government vowed to end a guerrilla war there.
Three rocket propelled grenades slammed into the heritage Quaid Azam Residency in the hill town of Ziarat in the early hours of the morning, district commissioner Nadeem Tahir said. A policeman died and the ensuing blaze tore through the two-story wooden building, damaging several other houses nearby.
"It seems that rockets have been fired from nearby mountains,' a police official said.
The vast province bordering Iran and Afghanistan contains largely unexplored copper and gold deposits but has suffered a long-running armed independence movement, and what rights groups call a campaign of forced disappearances.
Balochistan supplies much of the natural gas feeding Pakistan's lifeline textile industry in eastern Punjab province, and is home to a deepwater port at Gwadar.
Saturday's attack was the first since a new chief minister of the province took office last week. He has urged security forces, who deny wrongdoing, to end rights abuses and support his hopes of kindling talks with the insurgents, who are seeking an independent homeland.
On the day chief minister Abdul Malik took oath, five bullet-riddled bodies were found in the province.
The discoveries were seen by many as a message that forces were intent on continuing what human rights groups have dubbed a systematic campaign of "kill-and-dump".
Jinnah stayed in the Quaid Azam Residency as he tried to recover from a lung disease in 1948, a year after his successful campaign to separate Pakistan from India. He died in Karachi soon after. The building is a national heritage site.
COMMENTS (172)
Musharraf's attack on Bugti has been justified.. BLA must be eliminated in order to progress any further.. but on a serious note, we must also look into ourselves, first Bangladesh, now Balochistan, we must be doing something really wrong here.. Not giving enough to the Baloch people, taking a lot from them as well.. we should bring equality among our people first..
@Anand: Please save your history lesson for your own people. Fact of the matter is that Indians have never accepted Pakistan...and to accept that the people are even better...is asking a bit too much from you. Anyways we made our choice and are happy with whatever we have...as I said before please be concerned with your own problems which are way more than what we face...stop being threatened by a handful of Pakistanis.
THis is happened when in Such a country where Rights of exploited nations are not asssured and delievered. We want to see Pakistan on Confedration so Pakistan can be in its true Spirit.
@Raj - USA: Oh I understood you perfectly fine...if India was so safe for us then there really was no need for a Pakistan..was there..and you wouldn't have moved to USA either...just tell me one thing why are you so bothered with our problems...please just stick to your country's concerns and leave us with ours
@Adil: now you got why residency got attacked
@humayun: actually Pakistanis have nothing to do with quaid or his monument, they have to yell only!
are goverment is so scare and act like gidar,yes are goverment is are gidar ,
For all those who demanding drones for Balochistan( Khudanakhasta) , do they demand drones for Punjab too?as the suicide bombers who killed 24 innocent ( including 16 young female students,4 female nurses and one senior doctor ) were members of Lashkar e Jhangvi,and Panjab is the safe heaven for Lashkare jhangvi leadership.this group has killed thousands of shia brothers, why dont u demand drones or operation against these cowards in punjab???? does a building costs more than a human life?
This is real bad news for us who love Jinnah the greatest. It will encourage hindus in India to harm Jinnah's house in Indian Mumbai. GOP should take up this issue urgently with Govt of India and warn them in advance.
@ashar
"Quaid a Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was a true Muslim."
Yes, he was. If you believe that eating pork and drinking alcohol is allowed in Islam. Don't be a slave. Islam is greater than Jinnah.
BLA is not a terrorist organisation. They are freedom fighters just like our Kashmiri brothers in India. People pick up arms when they are exploited and oppressed.
@Afghan Maihan: What is stopping you to recreate a new Buddha? Or wait till after the excavation of the complete Buddhist city of Mes Aynak 40 km south east of Kabul, near the 2nd largest copper mines of the world which the Chinese have agreed to did it and bring it to the market. The Talibans are not Pakistan proxies!!!
Rex Minor
@ayesha
Do you always think loudly? Have you the unerstanding of a Baluch for whom Pakistan Government leaders and the symbol of Mr Jinnah represent their repression ?
What is not in their interest cannot be in the interest of the Nation!!!
Rex Minor:
@Sarwat Kidwai:
It was not an insult to your leader. You have not understood what I said. Try to find out who are all leaving Pakistan, for what reasons and when it all started.
@sameer: yes very pertinent , we all qurious what next on arsalan
@Raj - USA: If Gandhi was alive today he would certainly be living in Ziarat residency just to save his life...sound like 5th graders don't we..but this is a very serious master so please refrain from hurting us by trying to insult our LEADER..too petty for even you
The Baloch nationalists have been creatred when our government paid their sardars billions on royalties for the gas the country used. It was Baluch money, which the sardars took for their own use. Now these sardars are enjoying Swiss support and US backing- what do you expect?
I am now ashamed of having a little bit of balochi blood in me. I hate killing of hazaras (they were the orginal targets in the bus yesterday). Now that they mistakenly killed our own kitt and kin, I hope my nationalist friends will pipe down a little.
To the swiss holiday making sardars- come back, what do you have to fear from the government if you have done nothing wrong. Enough has gone wrong in this country already, why should we balochis be remembered of putting in the final nails in the coffin that the US , west and saudia built.
Jinnah was a Shia. We don't have any place for Shias and Ahmadis in our society ,except Mr.Jinnah .
@Afghan Maihan: Please dont pose yourself too innocent. Bamiyan Buddha was destroyed when tora bora was under heavy air attack and surveillance by US air force and satellite.
Quaid a Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was a true Muslim. Please don't try to create a divide between Muslims.
@Raj - USA: BLA is not TTP, its a separate entity getting support from India.
Pakistani proxies destroyed the Bamyan Buddha, which stood for 1500 years and Rahman Baba's grave was desecrated by these non state actors; it is only a natural state of progression for these elements to cleanse the land of the pure of anything that is deemed unholy, Jinnah was a Shia after all.
The same people who are huffing and puffing on this BLA attack, have been praising and calling the Pakistani sponsored terrorists as freedom fighters, the terrorists who have killed more than 40,000 Kashmiris. Why is that the BLA attacks are not freedom struggle but the Kashmir terror attacks are praised as just?
After all, Jinnah took Balochistan by force and annexed it. Why shouldn't the Baloch be given the same right to self-determination that Pakistanis have been demanding for the Kashmiris?
This attack is aimed at de-linking youth from Pakistan history. The follow up attack at female students' bus was aimed at creating a debate what is more important a heritage of human lives? The present government has put the blame on locals, may to avoid offending three spy agencies who have been supporting 'Independent Baluchistan' move. The reports being published by media have to be unbiased.
I used to be sympathetic to the Baloch cause, but now I'm not so sure.
@Sunil bhalla: indeed u should smile with pride
Long over due. Well vision of Jinnah was long destroyed by pakistanis, what use of bricks? "What you sow, is what you reap" :-)
When you have $3 trillion dollars yet to be unearthed in balochistan, the most civilised nations would act similar to TTP or BLA or use them to do the dirty job.
@Aysha M: or u can say they have actually agreed the two nation theory,earlier was not two nation it was two religion theory :)
@Sunil bhalla: Just FYI entire Pakistani nation knows BLA is funded by India. Your drama will never work
@True Indian: Yeah it would cost the region dearly and India won't be spared either.
@Mir: yes I couldn't agree with you more..it's sad but we have to do our part and let our enemies know there are still some people who are pure only Pakistanis..and we are enough to scare them when united to save our Quaid's dream..which is their nightmare!!!!!!
If Jinnah was alive today, he would probably be thinking of moving to India and seeking asylum there.
BLA is an anti-Pakistan organization, funded by RAW, CIA and MOSAD. You can't say them Pakistanis as they are working for enemies of Pakistan. They are not even representatives of Balochies as whole Balochistan came out for protest against such an incident.
Was Baluchistan's accession to Pakistan was legitimate? Was a refferendum conducted? I don't know. Can some reader help me?
ET!!!! its called QUAID's residency in pakistan
While Jinnah's Home and innocent girls were burning I am ashamed to say that a Major news channel (group) preferred to promote cricket with India when it had sports channel to do that. There agenda would be judged by history
What for our 500,000 troops are awaiting. Bring them out now or never to prove that they are not coward. There is only one person left who can save us is Mr. Musharraf. If you want the truth make a referendum if, our failed politicians have the courage. Please let this man go free because he came back to his homeland to fight unlike our past leaders who ran away.
Ziarat is in Pashtoon territory and BLA or other non-pashtoon groups cannot dare to do this without the consent of law enforcing agencies or local tribe. PMAP beware there seems to be something bigger for them.
@Sadist: What's happening here is result of unrealistic operations my dear friend, military operation when it is not a solution for Taliban, how could it be a solution for such guerrillas. What Pakistan and its armed forces need to do is to stop parceling the bullet ridden dead bodies. In fact, it has to be happened before we loose the VERY NATURAL RESOURCE rich Pakistan.
Time for CIA, MOSSAD and RAW to jump into Baluchistan and help BLA . Even Russian spy agencies mulling help to BLA to revenge USSR breakout.
Jinnah may be Pak's founder . We don't consider him as our leader . For us , he is a mere opportunistic leader . We want our land to be liberated .
IRONY first person to second: please bomb the building second person: tell me the venue first person: see the back side of the note that i gave you to finance this task second person: oh that will help, thank you sir otherwise i would have to open my lappy to search the google to find the building first person: please do it quickly, next task is to bomb the bldg that is on the back side of Rs. 20 second person: already ruined, its moen-jo-darro first person: oh...okay, never mind
@Sarwat Kidwai: well said Sarwat !! It amazes me how active Indian commenters are on our news sites, spewing their smelly drivel all o er the comments boards. Try leaving an anti indian comment -or even one that presents pak's honest point of view- on one of the Indian news sites and 99.99% chance it won't get published. But our news sites gleefully publish the vitriol of Indian commenters. How can we expect to counter the tsunami of indian propaganda when our own news sites are aiding it?
Why is tribune so excited on BLA removing Pakistan flag ???
This is the result of Musharraf arrest by Quetta police in Bugti case. BLA has celebrated the event.They feel emboldened and know that now no one will take strong action against them.This is due to the CJ,judiciary and Nawaz Sharif government very soft attitude towards insurgents and humiliation of security forces and agencies at the hand of judiciary.
Hypocrisy – they name is Pakistan. MA Jinnah was through and through a secular person and owner of surpassing intelligence. He was eloquent in his espousal of the secular principle in his speech of 11 August 1947 to the Pakistan Constituent Assembly. Jinnah did not live long. His successors took nine years in making a constitution and then they proclaimed an Islamic Republic of Pakistan, which was negation of everything that Jinnah stood for. Over the years and decades Pakistan government has given shabby treatment to its non-Muslim minorities and even to its non-Sunni Muslims. This was also negation of what Jinnah stood for. Pakistan treated East Bengal badly and eventually provoked a movement for secession. Even ZA Bhutto was unable to take an enlightened view of matters. Baluchistan has been clamouring for better accommodation. But Pakistan’s central leadership and their henchmen in the province handled the situation with a heavy hand and provoked further opposition by the people of Baluchistan who are now “seeking an independent homeland”. This is not how Jinnah would have dealt with the question. And now when BLA has destroyed the Ziarat Residency used for a time by Quaid-i-Azam, it is being remembered as “a national heritage site”. If this is not hypocrisy, then what is? Pakistan should accommodate the regional cultures of the various parts of the country. Therein lies the good of Pakistan. If this is done, no external power can do anything. V. C. Bhutani, Edinburgh, 15 Jun 2013, 1809 GMT
stat faward think is india did not like our QAUID e millat and PAKISTAN so they do this TYP OF ACTIVITY TO UN SOWERAN our country but no body say this because we have daffer thoughts about aman ki aasha but they are doing there work to weak our country day by day
Dear Quaid, If you have made Pakistan for this day...... then it was far better that you have continued your lawyer practice and live like a common life........... We as a nation don't deserve any kind of reward or bounty..... We deserve only punishment in term of war on terror, inflation, poor leadership and list will be endless..............I have no word to express but to say that we are shameless nation............
Regard A common man from Shameful land........
Carpet bomb them They are traitors,criminals.They killed innocent girl students.
@Sunil bhalia, before downplaying Pakistan learn to read the articles first, if you aren't aware of Pakistan's ground realities spare us your downright ignorant analysis.
@kala_bacha: what a childish attitude of you on this tragic issue
these sudden blasts,killings and burning of Quaid's residence,signing big MOU with China means some ONE is coming from USA.
@mrs ahmed:
Unfortunately you could not understand my comment about MQM regarding operation clean up. MQM has never been an evil, but yes, a tool in the hands of evil some times. And I pray not this time again.
Any way, one thing is confusing that you talk about MQM while mentioned the examples of mohajir killings only. I suppose MQM is Mutahida Qaumi Movement. isn't it?
@engineer: And those drones will be dropping aid to BLA,vote of thanks from USA.
It's time to root the BLA scum out of from its roots and give traitors the sentencing they deserve.
oops..I love you Jinnah
where is the lawyer who filled petition against jiyaaaa altaf bhai i in LHC? and my next question is
is arsalan iftikhar visting monte carlo in this summer ??
let's start drone also in balochistan to wore out these BLA.
The alienated Baloch don't care about the significance of that building. To them it just represents an identity they don't want to be part of. Reminds me of my visit to Srinagar. The son of the houseboat owner - a surrendered militant - pointed out to the fort and asked "sir, do you know what that is?". I said - "The fort?". He said - "No sir. That was the first Indian military post in Kashmir". Incidentally the fort was built by emperor Akbar. People have multiple identities and religion only goes that far!
@Em: May Pakistan remain united and progress in all fields we have no problems because we have our own poblems.
The Muslim Jinnahs house in the land of the kafirs is safe while the same Jinnahs house in the land of the pure belevers has been totally destroyed. What an irony!
Musharraf was right to kill Bughti. Now see what his people are doing with Indian help.
show this to Hamid Mir
@Aysha M.
You shouldn't be talking about PTI discussing issues with the Taliban. There are several RAW trained agents caught by the security agencies. and guess which leading Karachi party was responsible for sending them for training to india? You thought right - the same party that wins gun-point based elections in Karachi.
Time to act tough. Round up 100 of the the family and friends of these goons and shoot them. This is the only way to teach them. Brutality must be countered with a hundred times brutality. I promise solution will work in quick time.
This is for all Indians commenting on this blog..Really..seriously..after what happened to Gandhi in your country!!!! Fact of the matter is that we always say it as it is if this were to happen in India you would already be blaming Pakistan as is the case always. Now for the Residency it was one of the most treasured and beautiful places..took you back to how our Great Leader spent his time..how humbly he lived...Quaid we love you and we are ashamed of what has become of your dream!!!
Indians are again smiling and joyful over this. Validates the Two Nation theory for me.
brahamdagh bugti lives in Uk to can right winged psychopaths will register a case against him as well............
So then, the Pakistani intelligence agencies have hired people to hijack any comments section related to Balochistan. Its as if there is one person writing all the anti-BLA comments. I have noticed this in other Balochistan related articles too. @ET your moderation policy needs to be modernised and fixed. Dont publish a large volume of comments from the same ip address using different names.
Ya-Rasoallah! Tell me my brothera and sisters this is not correct? This didn't happen. Allahu Akbar! What is going to happen with our country?