The Balochistan Government Friday categorically held Hamid Karzai-led Afghan Government responsible for providing shelter to Baloch separatist fighters, which they believe was “clear evidence of Afghan involvement in the instability created in Balochistan”.
“There is ample evidence to substantiate our allegations that Afghanistan is creating trouble in Balochistan and extending full support to Baloch fighters,” Raziq Bugti, spokesperson for the Balochistan Government, told a news conference held in the Chief Minister Secretariat.
Bugti said that from day one, the government had not ruled out the involvement of a foreign hand in creating trouble in Balochistan. However, he said, the governmentÂ’s stance became self-evident since the Governor of Afghan province of Kandahar Asadullah Khalid stated that several Baloch had taken shelter in his province after fleeing from the conflict-stricken province of Balochistan.
He said that the Balochistan Government had made a formal request to the Afghan Government for handing over the people who the government believed were involved in terrorist activities across the province. “Though we have not received any response from the Afghan Government yet, we expect a positive reply,” Bugti said.
He hoped that Afghanistan would not give shelter to Baloch sanctuaries who were wanted by the Pakistan Government in serious cases such as bomb blasts, rocket attacks and blowing up of railway tracks in Balochistan.
According to Bugti, a majority of the people who were hiding in Afghanistan had escaped from Dera Bugti and Sui areas last year when the conflict between the government and Bugti tribesmen intensified. Referring to the latest crackdown on the activists of Balochistan National Party (BNP), Bugti said that the government did believe in complete freedom of expression and political dissent. “However, certain political parties exploit the liberty granted to them by the government and use it for the purpose of creating ethnic strife and unrest in the province. The government would not tolerate such elements. We will have to take action against them in order to ensure peace and harmony in the province,” he said.
When asked about the upcoming visit of the non-functional chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to his hometown Quetta, the spokesperson said that, the CJP was not visiting Quetta on the government’s request. “Rather,” he clarified, “he would visit the provincial capital on an invitation extended to him by certain political parties. However, the provincial government would ensure foolproof security arrangements for the CJP should he decide to visit.”
He regretted that some elements were taking political mileage out of the judicial issue. “Since the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) is already hearing the matter, there is no justification of politicising a purely judicial matter,” he remarked, adding that the use of provocative language against the Pakistan Army inside the Supreme Court’s building in Islamabad was deplorable. “The Opposition should exercise restraint and wait for the decision of the SJC. Any decision given by the council would be willingly accepted by the government because we believe in the supremacy of the judiciary.”