Bugti IDPs departing for Dera Bugti. PHOTO: DERA BUGTI FACEBOOK PAGE
The sit-in was led by Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) provincial president Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti, grandson of late Baloch nationalist leader and former chief minister Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.
He had left with hundreds of families from Quetta and was joined by displaced families temporarily residing in Punjab, Sindh and interior Balochistan.
Families, including women and children, spent the night under the open sky without tents or sufficient food. Protestors blocked the highway which connects Balochistan to Sindh and Punjab. Balochistan Levies, police and Frontier Corps (FC) were deployed near Kashmore to stop the convoy from proceeding towards Dera Bugti.
“The federal and provincial governments promised to rehabilitate the Bugti IDPs since they came into power. Now we are not being allowed to enter into our hometown,” Shahzain Bugti told reporters. “We have children and women in our convoy and had to spend the chilly night under an open sky,” he added.
Shahzain Bugti said he would rather face arrest then surrender and not be allowed to return home. “It is my right to live in my home and no one stops me from entering to my home,” he said firmly.
Many families recently returned to Dera Bugti and are residing there peacefully, he added. “There is no security issue or tribal disputes,” he said, adding the he wants to return home at any cost.
Local administration said a strategy needs to be devised in order to rehabilitate the displaced families in an appropriate way. However, sufficient housing is not available and security risks arising from tribal disputes also stand in the way.
Home Secretary Asad Gillani told The Express Tribune that Shahzain Bugti had been in contact with him, adding that negotiations are underway. He said "It would have been better, had Bugti families consulted provincial government and departed with a proper plan.”
Thousands of Bugti tribesmen were displaced during a military operation ordered by then president (retd) General Pervez Musharraf in Bugti Tribal Territory in 2005. Nawab Bugti was assassinated along with his comrades during the military action.
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It is so easy these days to put the blame of everything on Musharraf because he and his followers are preoccupied. If one gets a cough in Pakistan then Musharraf's opponents call it Musharraf's fault. If Musharraf was the bad guy with all the bad decisions then why have the so called democratic governments not changed the situation on the ground in 6 years? The reason is they know how to lie and make empty promises to get votes, but they don't have the vision or the competency to run the affairs of the country. That's why Musharraf was successful and these comics are running the country into the ground once again.
The reporting is so inadequate or the journalist clearly biased or did not bother going there. I can guarantee that the figure of 12,000 protesting is absolutely ridicilous.
During the Musharaf times, when he killed Akbar Bugti, he called the Kalpar Bugtis (residing in Multan and other areas of Punjab) back to Dear Bugti. Kalpars were banished from Dera Bugti by the late Akbar Bugti. Now if these Bugtis get back in the Dera Bugti a fierce bloodshed is expected between the two factions of tribe. May be that is the reason security forces are not allowing these men to get back to their homes. In that case the government should atleast make temporary settlements in other parts of the province for these men. They have no better things to do than stage sit ins, on highways and at press clubs. Give them money and businesses and they will forget about everything.
they may be allowed to go to their homes and that is their right.
Bugti is nothing more than a trouble maker, he will just cause problems in balochistan. I have been to Quetta myself, and a lot people do not desire to leave pakistan. They are, like all pakistanis frustrated with corruption, and radicalisation as it is completely destroying Pakistan. Nawaz sharif had promised so much, so far he hasn't done anything at all! Sharifs will ruin pakistan, they are just going to loot it once more, and head back to Riyadh. People are blaming imran khan, but has any other politican followed his promise? Inflation is extremely high, no gas or electricity. At least imran khan is implementing new laws in KP, education,a polio, etc. he even fired corrupt minsters, but PMLN has not succeeded one promise! PAKISTAN OPEN YOUR EYES!
No match for Nawab sb.
No match for VBMPLongMarch
My people. I am proud to be a Bugti. I think its time we are given our rights.
This is a long awaited return of Buhti tribesmen to their home town which was promised by the political parties (now) in government. Govt must help them to go their homes and deny foreign pressure to keep them away from Baloch affairs. Every Pakistani is equal and his right must be honoured.