WASHINGTON: Brahumdagh Bugti, president of the Baloch Republican Party, has demanded a referendum of Baloch people under the supervision of the United Nations.
Pakistani forces are engaged in a “tsunami of human rights violations” in Balochistan, he alleged on Friday and sought the help of the international community including India in the Baloch nationalist movement.
His grandfather, Baloch nationalist leader, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, was killed by the Pakistani army 10 years ago.
“Pak forces are engaged in tsunami of human rights violations. We do not want to live with Pakistan anymore,” said Switzerland-based Brahumdagh Bugti while thanking Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recently raising concern over the situation in Balochistan.
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province which has been under ‘illegal Pakistani occupation for the last seven decades’, he said.
Bugti said Modi’s recent remarks during his Independence Day speech is the “most powerful statement” in the last seven decades.
“It is for the first time that an Indian Prime Minister has spoken. We believe that India should have taken this step a long time ago,” he said, adding that he is convinced about Balochistan freedom.
“I am thoroughly indebted to Prime Minister Modi. I thank Prime Minister Modi for speaking raising the voice of Baloch people in his Independence Day address,” he said and alleged that Pakistani crime against people are a shocker to the global community.
Use of aerial bombardment, use of gases have become routine, he claimed and added that Balochistan is the world capital of missing people.
“We are political people. We want to solve this with peaceful means. But there is no way we are going to be part of the Pakistan any more. We want freedom of Pakistan. We are not fools to try our luck again and again with Pakistan. We are ready to negotiate through peaceful means,” Bugti said.
Stating that his immediate course of action would be to create awareness in the international community, Bugti, said: “So far we have never received any support from any international countries including India. We want to request India and other countries to help Balochistan. It is genocide of (the) Baloch (people) in Pakistan going on.”
INTERVIEW TO BBC
On Wednesday, Aug 24, Brahamdagh Bugti told the BBC Urdu service that he is willing to negotiate with the government over the Balochistan issue.
“If our friends, companions, political allies and finally the people are in favour of this, then we are definitely ready to live with Pakistan,” he said.
“We want to resolve all issues politically and peacefully,” added Bugti.
Referring to Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who is currently in London, Bugti said, “We are ready to meet him as we want a political solution to the problem.”
Bugti, who currently resides in Switzerland, elaborated by asking what difference has been made by torture, killings and arrests in the last ten to fifteen years.
He also stated that the negotiating environment must be conducive.
When asked about assistance from India, Bugti said he will not deny it, as it is usual for people to ask for assistance when they are defending themselves.
“Development in Balochistan is irrelevant, as a democratic government is not present in the province and the Baloch people were not included in the decision,” said Bugti.
Chief Minister Balochistan, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has welcomed the statement from Brahamdagh Bugti and termed it a positive step towards restoration of normalcy in the province.
“Flames of conflict must be extinguished in Balochistan, the province needs to heal after 15 long years of violence,” said the chief minister.
The chief minister stated that the civil and military leadership were on the same page with regards to issues relating to Balochistan. “It has been our stance to resolve all issues faced by Balochistan through political means,” added Baloch.
The government is also engaged in negotiations with the Khan of Kalat, Mir Suleman Dawood.
Earlier, Chief of Jhalawan and Senior Balochistan Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri had met the exiled Baloch leader Khan of Kalat in London.
Chief Minister Balochistan had confirmed that his government will request members of the ‘Grand Baloch Jirga’ to make a formal appeal for Khan of Kalat’s return.