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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| The world according to the Baloch |
| 2005-02-14 |
| Worth reading the entire article Violence by tribal insurgents in the province of Balochistan has been setting alarm bells ringing in Pakistan. The son of one of Balochistan's tribal leaders here sets out his fears for the future of the province. Violence in Balochistan recently prompted tough-talking President Pervez Musharraf to warn Baloch tribesmen to stop fighting or "they will not know what hit them". He was probably referring to his army's newly acquired hi-tech weaponry - such as night vision attack helicopters - given by the US to help eliminate Islamist militants on Pakistan's western border. Gen Musharraf's threatening tirade, however, has had the opposite effect. Almost overnight, even the few pro-military urbanized Baloch have turned against the general's jingoistic philosophy. The reason for this transformation lies deep within Baloch culture. [snip] Many now believe that the 78 year-old Nawab of the Bugtis is not unhappy with the idea of dying in a blaze of immortal Baloch glory. If he should die in a clash with the army then tough-talking Gen Musharraf could be in deep trouble. |
| Posted by:Chuck Simmins |