FARRUKH SAEED KH
LAHORE – Grandson of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and President Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti has said the trust relationship between Islamabad and Balochistan does not exist anymore and his party will not participate in an APC convened by the prime minster, adding that time to solve Balochistan issue through APCs and committees has gone.
He expressed these views in an interview with Nawa-i-Waqt during his visit to its offices on Sunday, along with other JWP leaders including Arshad Saleem, Waseem Hassan Raja, Chaudhry Zahid and Saman Bajwa.
He said January 31 pushed Balochistan towards separation. Shahzain said still their voice was forceful and heard by the Baloch people, but any other such incident could make situation out of their control and people would start seeking United Nations and European Union’s help.
Shahzain said intelligent agencies and incumbent government were responsible for the present Balochistan quagmire. He said tortured and distorted bodies of missing persons, Akbar Bugti’s martyrdom, no-go areas and the incident of 31st January in which Bugti’s granddaughter and her 11-year-old daughter along with their driver were killed, had changed the scenario entirely.
He said on 31st January Bugtis were targeted. Shahzain said Baloch traditionally exempt women and children from war and they are given way to escape but their women and children were slain which made the situation worse. He said right from that day bomb blasts and attacks on forces increased in Balochistan. JWP leader said rulers themselves were pushing Balochistan towards separation.
To a question he said he had no contact with Nawaz Sharif after his return from Quetta. He said a meeting with Nawaz Sharif was possible. He was of the view that forces responsible for pushing East Pakistan towards Bangladesh were now pushing Balochistan towards separation. He also ruled out of meeting with prime minister.