Dera Bugti IDPs enter their hometown after 8 long years

Gohram Bugti - grandson of late Nawab Akbar Bugti - leads convoy of 25 vehicles.

DERA BUGTI: The convoy of internally displaced persons of Dera Bugti entered their hometown on Thursday after eight years.

Gohram Bugti - grandson of late Nawab Akbar Bugti - was leading the convoy.

The Bugti IDPs had left Islamabad for Dera Bugti on July 24 amidst news of Bugti fort being vacated by the security forces. However, the 25-vehicle convoy was not stopped as they entered the district.

The federal and provincial governments have assured the displaced tribesmen of their support. But the convoy was not welcomed by any political leader at the Quetta airport.

Background

After the government’s military operation in Balochistan in 2006-2007, an estimated 170,000 tribesmen migrated from Dera Bugti and its adjoining districts. They were later kept from resettling in their homes. According to Gohram, over 200,000 are homeless since 2005.

The tribesmen say the previous government did nothing for these displaced families, except for arresting them in 2010 and later releasing them.

Earlier this year, the tribes tried to enter into Dera Bugti twice but were stopped at the Dolo checkpoint by law enforcement agencies asking them to show entry passes. They are now living in Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Hyderabad, Rohri, Sukkur, Khairpur and Karachi.

Around 2,000 tribesmen have been protesting outside the parliament for the last few months.