Date:12/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/12/stories/2006011215130100.htm

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Balochistan leader slams Musharraf

Praveen Swami

Says rebellion is a result of tribal anger, not Indian support

NEW DELHI: Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, the powerful tribal chieftain whose followers have been engaged for several weeks in full-blown warfare with Pakistani troops in the province of Balochistan, on Wednesday slammed President Pervez Musharraf's claims that India was providing support to the rebellion.

"President Musharraf is using his favourite weapon — lies," Nawab Bugti said in a satellite-phone interview to The Hindu , his first to an Indian publication. "His objective is to defame the legitimate demands of the people of Balochistan." He spoke from the traditional seat of the Bugti tribe, Dera Bugti, which has been besieged by Pakistani troops for several days.

In a recent interview to the television channel CNN-IBN, Gen. Musharraf claimed there was proof that India was providing support to the Baloch nationalist forces, whom he described as "anti-government and anti-me." Indian involvement in Balochistan included "financial support" and "support in kind."

Nawab Bugti, however, denied that Baloch fighters had received any assistance from India. "What is the need for us to take anything from anyone," he asked. "The weapons we are now using flowed into this region when the United States financed the jihad in Afghanistan. It was the Inter-Services Intelligence which distributed them to Afghanistan, Iran, Jammu and Kashmir — and to us in Balochistan."

Pointing to the easy availability of small arms in northern and western Pakistan, he said the cost of acquiring weapons was minimal. Both media and scholarly investigation have repeatedly shown that even heavy machine guns and air-defence weapons are widely available for just a few thousand rupees.

Strategic equities

India has strategic equities in Balochistan, through which the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline will pass. Nawab Bugti made it clear that Baloch insurgents would continue attacks on both existing and future pipelines. "India-Pakistan peace is something for them to deal with, not us. We want our rights — a fair share of the revenues from our country's resources."

In his interview, Nawab Bugti provided a graphic account of the carnage in the Sui valley, a region to which journalists have had little access. Overnight shelling in and around Dera Bugti claimed 16 lives, bringing the civilian casualties to 43 dead and 161 injured.

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