Balochistan on edge: Frontier Corps arrest Shahzain Bugti

Shahzain Bugti was taken into custody by FC officials after arms were seized from a vehicle in his caravan.

QUETTA:

The Frontier Corps (FC) arrested the provincial president of the Jamhori Watan Party (JWP) along with 27 others and seized a huge quantity of arms and ammunitions allegedly recovered during a search of his convoy at Buleli check-post near Quetta, Inspector General FC Ubaidullah Khan told reporters.

Shahzain Bugti was returning from the border town of Chaman when FC personnel intercepted his motorcade – comprising 16 vehicles – at an entry point of Quetta city in the early hours of Wednesday.

The personnel thoroughly  searched the vehicles and recovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunitions, including 50 small machineguns with 46,000 rounds, four light machineguns, four antiaircraft guns, a SPG-9, one pistol, one army universal gun and a large quantity of ammunition. In addition, 14 land cruisers, 17 cellular phones and 15 bandoliers were also impounded.

When stopped, Shahzain did not cooperate with security personnel as he refused to step out of his vehicle. During the checking, he contacted the media and other people. Upon his constant refusal to step out of his vehicle, the FC personnel smashed his vehicle’s windscreen and dragged him out forcibly. The entire episode of the arrest was filmed by the media.

“Those arms and ammunitions do not belong to me, it is a conspiracy to hold me back from taking out a long march towards Dera Bugti,” he told reporters via phone.

He accused the FC of implicating him on concocted charges at the behest of their superiors. “I am not anti-Pakistan, nor was I involved in any offence, thus I have strong belief in [the] judiciary that it will provide me justice without any prejudice,” he added.

Police and FC officials displayed the seized weapons and ammunitions before the media and said Shahzain allegedly wanted to smuggle them to Quetta.

Inspector General Ubaidullah Khan said that they had received information about the smuggling of heavy arms and ammunitions. Shahzain had been given three hours to justify or provide evidence for carrying these weapons – but he tried to escape, hence security personnel arrested him, the IG claimed.

“He may keep Kalashnikovs for self-defence, but not antiaircraft guns,” he said.

Inspector General of Balochistan Police Malik Mohammad Iqbal, who was also present, informed the media that a joint investigation team was formed to probe the matter on the directives of Interior Minister Rehman Malik. Shahzain will be given an opportunity to produce evidence through which he can prove his innocence, Iqbal added.

IG Iqbal further said that a case has been registered against him and he is in the custody of the FC, but under the due process he will be handed over to the police.

Addressing a news conference, chief of JWP Nawabzada Talal Bugti said that Shahzain was arrested on the directives of Interior Minister Rehman Malik on concocted charges. He accused the secret agencies of implicating him in fake cases.

“Four vehicles belonging to the secret agencies had joined the convoy of Shahzain Bugti near Kuchlak area, on the outskirts of Quetta, and they were loaded with heavy arms and ammunitions,” Talal Bugti alleged. He demanded an investigation from the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Constantly using unsavoury language in the press conference while referring to the interior minister, he also added that, if Shahzain is found guilty by the Supreme Court, he will be expelled from the party.

Talal Bugti said that his party will record its protest at every platform against the arrest of its leader.

“If we have so many weapons and arms then we would not sit silent. All the other people have been released and only Shahzain Bugti has been kept in custody,” Guharam Bugti, another senior leader of JWP, said in a separate news conference.

Guharam Bugti said that the FC personnel had insulted, mistreated and manhandled the JWP provincial chief because of his recent announcement of a long march towards Dera Bugti.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2010.