No democracy in Balochistan: BNP

BNP alleges the affairs of Balochistan are still being run by Frontier Corps, no sign of democratic government.

QUETTA: Balochistan National Party’s Secretary Information Agha Hassan (BNP) alleged that the affairs of Balochistan are still being run by the Frontier Corps (FC) and there is no sign of democratic government in the province.

He shared these views while addressing a news conference at a hunger strike camp set up by the BNP in protest against the registration of cases against its leader, non-recovery of missing Balochs and alleged military operations in several parts of Balochistan.

Agha Hassan said that as many as 40 Baloch political opponents, including 16 BNP activists and leaders, were killed during the past four months “in order to eliminate the political forces who are struggling for their rights”.

He said that BNP had set up hunger strike camps in Nushki, Sibi, Chagai, Kharan, Khuzdar, Dera Murad Jamali, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Kalat, Turbat, Gwadar and other districts to protest against the registration of a case against Ayub Gichki whose two sons were gunned down by law enforcement agencies in Turbat. He alleged that FC personnel had stormed the house of Gichki and killed five people.

The BNP leader further said that FC personnel had also carried out house-to-house searches in Gwadar and Turbat and violated the sanctity of homes and detained many innocent Baloch fishermen.

The military operation is being carried out in Balochistan by security forces, which have been a given free hand to kill and carry out search operations, Agha Hassan said adding that the interior minister is speaking the language of General Pervez Musharraf, threatening Baloch people in the same way through his statements.

Baloch political workers will not be scared of any military operation and targeted killings nor will they give up from their valiant struggle against usurpers, he added.

He also criticised the judiciary who he said is supposed to be independent but has been silent over the issue of Balochistan, particularly the extra-judicial killings and arrests.

The state functionaries are directly involved in ethnic cleansing of Baloch people and Pakistan Peoples Party is equally responsible for this bloodshed, said Agha Hassan.

He said that BNP had also complained to the United Nations and the European Union about the cold blooded killing of political opponents in Balochistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2010.