Balochistan needs to be serious part of Indian Foreign Policy: Bugti

Baloch people commemorate the death anniversary of prominent Balochistan separatist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, who was killed on August 26, 2006 by Pakistan Army in an encounter. Here is an interview with his grandson Brahumdagh Bugti, who has founded the Baloch Republican Party and is presently in Switzerland in a self-imposed exile. Brahumdagh has given up his Pakistani passport and is buoyed by the recent 'moral support' extended by the Indian Government to the Balochistan cause. Asking India to make Balochistan a serious part of its Foreign Policy, Bugti wants India to become voice of Baloch people in International forums.

Read the interview here -

What has been your struggle all about and what are your demands from the State of Pakistan?

To understand the Baloch struggle, you have to go into the history. There were two parts of Balochistan at the time when British were about to leave the region, British Balochistan and state Balochistan. British Balochistan was forcefully annexed with Pakistan while state Balochistan was declared independent, only to be merged into Pakistan through military force nine months later in 1948.

In spite of such a horrible experience, the Baloch tried to adjust them within Pakistan but Pakistan always treated Balochistan as a colony and retaliated with violence and use of force whenever Baloch people raised voice their rights. The ongoing military operation is the fifth large scale army action in Balochistan since 1948. Every next government would make fake apologies for the state atrocities by previous rulers and make bogus promises to keep the Baloch within Pakistan. The Baloch would always fall into their traps sometimes made in the name of religion & sometimes in the name of greater autonomy and rights.

But after the start of military operation in early 2000s to crush the political demands of Baloch people & subsequent assassination of my grandfather Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006, the Baloch have said “enough is enough, we can not be a part of Pakistan anymore.” Today every Baloch demand freedom from Pakistan and restoration of an independent homeland.

The government of Pakistan has invited the Balochi leaders in exile to come to negotiation table, what is your reaction? As Pakistan continues to put you in its Most Wanted List would you take the risk of going back?

It is always been a tactic of Pakistani state to use the negotiation card to counter the Baloch struggle and confuse the international community to justify state atrocities in Balochistan. In past Pakistan Army used Islam to lure the Baloch into so-called negotiations, only to persecute, jail and hang our leaders.

This time the tried to use the same old tactic again but their plan backfired when we agreed to meet them. I met former Pakistani CM in Balochistan Dr. Malik Baloch and a federal minister Abdul Qadir Baloch in Geneva but as expected, their calls for negotiations vanished in the air after we agreed on talks because they had expected us to reject the negotiations so they could counter the increasing international support for Baloch struggle and justify the use of force in Balochistan by labelling us terrorists. 

We are struggling politically for our demands and believe in political solutions but it is the Pakistani states that used violence and force to crush the legitimate demands of Baloch people. As far as going back is concerned, Balochistan is my homeland and i will not hesitate to go there when the right time comes.

Pakistan government has accused India of conspiring to trigger unrest in Balochistan, how do you respond to the allegations?

It has always been the favorite response by the Pakistani security establishment to blame foreign hand when the people rise against state atrocities and demand their rights. This blame game is as old as the country itself. For instance, they accused Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan of being an Indian agent but later accepted him as a genuine leader, only to accuse him again afterwards.

They have been doing the same in Balochistan since the day one. One may ask, is it India that takes away all the resources and deprive the Baloch of their basic rights? Is it India that asks Pakistan army to commit gross human rights violations and war crimes against Baloch? Is it Indian Army that uses gunship helicopters and fighter jets on civilian populations in Balochistan?

If it is not India that has been doing all this then why do they blame India when people resist against these atrocities? It is but natural for people to defend themselves against such barbarism in all the ways possible.

How do you see the present stance of India with respect to Balochistan? How do you think India can contribute to the cause of Balochistan?

We see it is a very positive development in the favor of Baloch national struggle internationally. We thank Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi for his brave stance on Balochistan and we really appreciate how the Indian media is highlighting the issue. At the same time, I must also say that it should not be tit for tat approach of the Indian government for what Pakistan is doing in Kashmir. 

It should be a very serious part of the Indian foreign policy to raise the voice of oppressed Baloch people on international forums and pursue the international community to stop supporting the oppressive Pakistani regimes as the financial and military aid to Pakistan is being used to suppress the peaceful movement of Baloch nation.

It is the responsibility of India as a responsible neighbor and as a civilized country to become the voice of Baloch people in the world community and convince the United Nations to send fact finding missions to Balochistan to expose the Pakistani war crimes and to show the world what is really going on there.

Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri has said that Balochistan is different as Balochis love Pakistan, what is your take on it?

The so-called government in Balochistan doesn’t represent the Baloch masses. The mere fact that only three percent of votes were caste in 2013 Pakistani general elections in Balochistan is enough to reject the legitimacy of this so-called government. 97 percent of the people boycotted the elections and didn’t cast their votes despite the use of force by the Pakistani forces to participate in the polls.

It is normal for an occupying state to create such dummy government in its occupied territories to legitimize the illegal occupation. To assess the demands of the Baloch people and to know whether they want to live with Pakistan or want an independent homeland, the easiest way is to hold a referendum under the supervision of United Nations in Balochistan. The results would show what the Baloch really want.

Questions are being raised over the support you command among Baloch people. Pakistan has contended that your support base is very small. How do you establish yourself as the rightful leader of the Baloch people?

I think the answer to this question is same as the previous one. If you withdraw Pakistani army from Balochistan and hold a referendum under the supervision of UN peacekeeping forces, the Baloch will decide who their leader is and what their demands are.

Do you still carry Pakistani passport?

No

How would you justify the use of violence in support of your cause?

I believe in peaceful means of struggle. The Baloch struggle for freedom and sovereignty is completely peaceful and democratic in nature. Pakistan’s response to it has always been violent and oppressive. All the pro-independence Baloch political parties and student organisations have been banned forcing them to go underground. Thousands of their activists including leaders have been abducted, detained & tortured for years and in almost all cases killed and their mutilated dead bodies dumped on roadsides. 

Crackdown against political parties has given rise to armed struggle in Balochistan and there are many armed groups resisting the Pakistani occupying forces and their atrocities. Baloch youth are attracted towards armed struggle more because you cannot expect someone to remain silent if you attack his house, abduct and kill his family members. It is but human nature to resist and fight to defend himself. 

Do you think with China having strategic interests in the region, especially in the form of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), it has become difficult to achieve your objective?

Balochistan’s strategic location makes it very important for regional and international powers. China also has its interests in the region and it has join hands with Pakistan to achieve its objectives. China will not only benefit economically by getting access to the Baloch waters through the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor but increase its strategic influence.

The Baloch have rejected CPEC as a plan to further exploit their natural resources and convert them into a minority in their homeland through influx of Pakistani people. Pakistani forces intensified state atrocities & human rights abuses to silence the Baloch voices against CPEC. 

Let me also emphasize on the fact that Baloch are the only people in the region who are secular and natural allies of the countries like India, US and the western world. They have unfortunately remained silent on the sufferings of Baloch people. It is the responsibility of these countries to raise voice against Baloch genocide not only because it is their duty as civilized nations but also they need to support the Baloch national struggle because we are their only allies in the region with same interests. 

Pakistan sponsors, trains and export terrorists to the neighboring countries and rewards those who burn US and Indian flags. We are the only people share the same values with the civilized world. If they don’t support the Baloch today, they will not only fail their values but also lose their only friend in the region.