Pakistan accuses India and Afghanistan of meddling in Baluchistan.

[abiab]

Did you people heard what Rehman Malik said today???

STORY: Pakistan on Wednesday (April 22) accused Afghanistan and India of supporting ethnic Baluch separatists fighting in the resource-rich south-western province of Baluchistan.


Pakistan has in the past accused old rival India of meddling in Baluchistan but Wednesday's comments from the Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik were the most explicit for years and these have come after deterioration in ties over a militant attack in India's Mumbai.

Malik told the Parliament that a conspiracy was being hatched to destablise Pakistan.

Baluch nationalists have for decades campaigned for greater autonomy and control of the province's abundant natural gas and mineral resources, which they say are unfairly exploited to the benefit of other parts of the country.

Separatist guerrillas have also fought a low-level insurgency for
decades.

Malik said Brahamdad Bugti, a son of a Baluch rebel leader who was killed in a military operation in late 2006, was living in Kabul and he had admitted in a television interview that he was getting support from India.

"We condemn his (Brahamdad Bugti) statement of seeking independence and we will not let this happen. And this is the time that we have to expose those hostile agencies, those hostile countries which are helping them. I don't have to say much on this because he himself has said that India is helping. So we will also request India: 'Please stop interfering in Baluchistan'," said Rehman Malik, top official of Pakistan Interior Ministry.

Pakistan had repeatedly requested Afghan government to stop helping Baluch militants but in vain, he said.

He said according to their intelligence, there are between 4,000 to 5,000 Baluchis based in Afghanistan, adding "there are also a few training centres."

"I have proof that even today cross-bordering is occurring; dollars
are coming from there (Afghanistan); currency is coming from there; arms are coming from there; stringer missiles are coming from there; anti-aircraft missiles are coming from there," noted Rehman Malik.

Further he added, "Tell me where are they coming from? I need to know why they are not stopped? That's why we are inviting the attention of Mr.Karzai: 'please have it stopped; crossing of these arms and ammunition towards
Pakistan."

An American UN official, John Solecki, was kidnapped in Baluchistan in
February on the orders of Baluch separatist leaders in Kabul, Malik said.

Solecki was freed after two months in captivity.

http://rtv.rtrlondon.co.uk/2009-04-22/2ebdd00.html

 

[Xtremeownage]

99% of Balochis don't support these retarded seperatists... But It is obvious that India funds and supports these terrorists!

But Insha Allah India will fail, and Pakistan will be successful!

Don't forget that India has hundreds of seperatist movements, much more powerful than what is going on in Balochistan!

 

[Xeric]

i was right, i was right

i am grateful to the govt that atleast they have the gather ther guts to speak it in open.

Now the govt should be very very blunt and harsh in handling these issues, if indian can threat us of bombing us, we can also suggest the same to the indians!

 

[Gabbar]

Now the govt should be very very blunt and harsh in handling these issues, if indian can threat us of bombing us, we can also suggest the same to the indians!

Dont worry, GOP and ISI are already been doing that for years.

 

[godsavetheworld]

I bet GOI is not even gonna pay tiny bit of heed to this. They have been quick in downplaying Pakistan's tit-for-tat strategy, so much so that even the former PAF Air Marshal believes Pakistan should stop blaming India since it cannot come up with proof.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Lack of evidence hasn't stopped India from blaming the Pakistan State for terrorism.

 

[wtf]

Why are some newspapers reporting Russia+India instead of Afghanistan+India ?

India, Russia behind unrest in Balochistan | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

Meanwhile he is also saying that there will be no military operation in Balochistan
Its All About Pakistan

and Baloch leaders are denying all this
Its All About Pakistan

My guess is that it is a case of "giving a dog a bad name and then killing it". Blame India for Balochistan, say army was not responsible for deaths etc. give a good cover to operations against militants. Can't fault him for hanging the bodies at India's door - it is the easiest and safest thing to do. As long as it solves Pakistan's problems... I guess..

 

[blain2]

My guess is that it is a case of "giving a dog a bad name and then killing it". Blame India for Balochistan, say army was not responsible for deaths etc. give a good cover to operations against militants. Can't fault him for hanging the bodies at India's door - it is the easiest and safest thing to do. As long as it solves Pakistan's problems... I guess..

This is how the game is played in case you are new to it. You do the same in Kashmir and we do it where we need to. Its not all untrue and its not all true either.

 

[wtf]

This is how the game is played in case you are new to it. You do the same in Kashmir and we do it where we need to. Its not all untrue and its not all true either.

Not in Kashmir, I think. Musharraf did manage to get a bunch of training camps closed and announced publicly in the press that we will no longer support terror groups. Seems to have had some truth in India's accusation that Pakistan did materially support the groups before his time.

India has not officially accused Pakistan of material support to terrorists recently (for last 2 years) - after Mumbai, there was statements doubting Pakistan but the talk mostly has been of non-state actors. What Indian press reports, on the other hand, is pretty different from the state position.

In this case India, Afghanistan and Russia is being directly accused by a foreign minister/advisor. Slightly more vitriolic than saying "they allow this to happen" or "they provide moral support" etc. Why drag Russia into this, I have no clue...

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

The Advisor further said that BLA was raised by former USSR during the Afghan war

RA did not blame Russia, he merely pointed out that the seeds of the BLA were sown by the USSR.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

This Dawn article is pretty extensive in terms of his contacts with Karzai and others, and the links of the 3 leaders that were killed.

Afghanistan and India behind BLA: Malik

Thursday, 23 Apr, 2009 | 03:48 AM PST |

ISLAMABAD: The prime minister’s adviser on interior affairs surprised the Senate on Wednesday when he directly accused Afghanistan and India of supporting the Baloch National Army’s campaign for Balochistan’s secession from Pakistan and also implicated the BLA in the kidnapping of UNHCR official John Solecki.

According to Mr Rehman Malik, the BLA had kidnapped the UN official to draw world’s attention to its demand for a separate state. Lawmakers who were startled by Mr Malik’s statement demanded an in-camera briefing, saying that openly accusing neighbouring countries might create new problems.

The adviser’s speech was interrupted several times by Mahabat Khan Marri, Dr Abdul Malik and Mir Hasil Bizenjo who rejected some of his contentions, particularly about Sher Mohammad Baloch’s terrorist background. Sher Mohammad was recently killed along with two other nationalist leaders and their bodies were found in Turbat.

Senators from Balochistan staged a walkout in protest against Mr Malik’s statement. Winding up a four-day debate on an adjournment motion on the murder of the three Baloch leaders, Mr Malik said the government was ready to accept and implement all recommendations made by lawmakers and the parliamentary committee.

However, he said, there was no question of conceding independence to Balochistan, a demand raised by less than one per cent of the people of the province.

He rejected that the number missing persons was in thousands as claimed by kidnappers of the UN representative and said that in fact the number confirmed by the authorities was only 831 and 200 of them had already been traced.

About the three assassinated politicians, the adviser said Ghulam Mohammad was wanted by Iran for terrorist activities and it had sought his extradition. Sher Mohammad was an Iranian national who had obtained Pakistani nationality, he added.

The so-called BLA, he said, was set up by the former Soviet Union and was now being supported by the governments of India and Afghanistan. He claimed that some 4,000 to 5,000 Baloch people were in various camps in Afghanistan and they were being trained there for terrorist activities in Pakistan.

PML-N leader Raja Zafarul Haq said the statement about involvement of neighbouring countries would create new enmities.

The adviser said that a committee was working on demands for release of political workers in Balochistan. ‘I am in contact with the sons of slain Nawab Akbar Bugti and efforts are being made to take all angry Baloch leaders on board.’

SARDARI SYSTEM
He also said that a proposal for reviving the ‘Sardari system’ in the province was under consideration. He said the Frontier Corps had been put under the chief minister and all 36 FC checkposts had been removed.

Mr Malik said there were confirmed reports that BLA chief Brahamdagh Bugti lived close to Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s presidential palace in Kabul, adding that 1,000 Baloch students had got training in Russia and they were now active in Balochistan.

He said that Pakistani agencies had obtained transcripts of calls between the BLA chief and his men. He claimed that in one call Brahamdagh was asking about ‘red goat’ —a code name for Solecki —and ordering that he be shifted to some other location after the government had got clue to the place where he had been kept.

‘Mr Solecki was abducted two days before UN secretary general’s visit to Islamabad in order to project BLA’s bid for freedom. On the basis of evidence, I met Mr Karzai and sought his help to repatriate Brahamdagh or stop him from doing all that he is doing in Pakistan, but I was given a cold shoulder,’ Mr Malik added.

He said he had also urged Mr Karzai to stop the use of Afghan soil against Pakistan because 45,000-50,000 people were crossing over to Pakistan daily.

Mr Rehman said Pakistan had apprised UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of the situation in Balochistan and sought his help. Contacts with Mr Karzai led to the release of Mr Solecki, he added.

He proposed the formation of a senators’ committee to supervise the working of the judicial committee which was investigating the murder of the three Baloch leaders.

Later talking to journalists, Mr Malik warned India against its activities in Balochistan. Dr Malik of the Balochistan National Party said that problems in Balochistan should not be linked to India and Russia.

PPP’s Lashkari Raisani said that although he belonged to the government side, he would like to say that agencies sometimes mislead the government on certain issues.

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Afghanistan and India behind BLA: Malik

 

[HAIDER]

ISLAMABAD (updated on: April 23, 2009, 03:38 PST): Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior, Rehman Malik on Wednesday informed the Senate that India is involved in Balochistan unrest through Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which was established with the blessings of defunct USSR during Afghan war in the '70s.

Winding up the debate on an adjournment motion, to discuss the Balochistan situation, which emerged after the recent killing of three Baloch leaders in Turbat, he said that BLA was created by Russia during Soviet-Afghan war at a time when Pakistan was supporting Afghan Mujahideen in their war against the Red Army.

"India is now funding the BLA and its activities," said the interior advisor. This was for the first time that India has been accused of involvement in Balochistan by Pakistan officially in a policy statement. Malik's revelations created uproar in the house as some of the senators objected to his point of view. The interior advisor said: "It is a matter of my country's survival. It is my responsibility to inform the house about the factual position."

The senators, however, objected to some of his observations with the contentment that since it was a sensitive issue, there should be an in-camera or closed door briefing. This was agreed by majority of the members to have this briefing on Thursday (April 23). Malik said that BLA, which has already been declared as terrorist organisation, remained inactive after Afghan war but it started its activities when Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed in 2007.

He said that Barhamdagh Bugti (Bugti's grandson) openly sought India, Afghanistan and the UN support for independence of Balochistan in a recent interview to a TV channel," he added. "Barhamdagh Bugti, who is also chief of BLA, particularly asked India to support Baloch people for achieving their independence," he said. He alleged that Russia has trained 1000 Baloch students to create unrest in the province.

"Barhamdagh Bugti is residing in Kabul just five kilometres away from President Karzai's palace and Pakistan has been continuously requesting Afghan government for access to Barhamdagh," he added. During my visit to Afghanistan, I especially requested Karzai to arrange a meeting with Barhamdagh, but he didn't, he said, adding that the Afghan government has been denying his presence in Afghanistan.

Malik informed the upper house that no operation was under way in Balochistan, but the eyes could not be kept closed from the province and bordering areas. He said that Pakistan was not created for supporting the anti-state movements. "The government is ready to accept all the legitimate demands of Baloch, but cannot allow creation of a state within state. It is our land and we will not let anybody to look towards our soil with evil eye," he maintained.

Rehman said that complaints of the Baloch brothers were being addressed, as President Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani were in constant touch with the top leadership of the province.

The President in his meeting with the Baloch leaders had accepted their rights and demands and gave Rs 4 billion development package for the province, while the prime minister had written off the receivables of the province. He said measures would be taken to resolve the problems of Baloch. The government has eliminated all the checkposts of Frontier Corps (FC) in Balochistan and mulling to restore 'Sardari system'. Everyone in Balochistan demanding his share.

Malik said he is constantly in touch with Akbar Bugti's sons and President Zardari met with Baloch leaders more than five times. He said that for getting release of John Solecki, he knocked the doors of all including Bayar Murree. Once President Karzai had said that Pakistan's land was being used for revolt against him, but when the government of Pakistan asked his assistance in this regard, he kept mum.

Pakistan's intelligence agencies, when intercepted a telephone call from Afghanistan to somewhere in Balochistan, giving information on the health condition of John Solecki, Malik said, left Afghan authorities with no option but to give assurance to move ahead for the recovery of the UN official.

The exact text of the call was: "How the red goat (John Solecki) is doing? Does the government possess any information about his whereabouts or not? Is he creating any trouble? "After intercepting the call, I rang up Afghan President Hamid Karzai and he agreed to help us in getting the UN official released," he said.

Rehman said that Ghulam Muhammad killed in Turbat was wanted by Iran and the Iranian government had asked for his extradition. He said that Frontier Corps was told to continue reporting about the developing situation to Balochistan chief minister. Senator Muhabbat Khan Murree during interior advisor speech said Balochistan's situation needed to be tackled in a different manner whereas PML-N leader Raja Zafarul Haq criticised the behaviour of the interior advisor.
India involved in Balochistan unrest through BLA: Rehman tells Senate : Business Recorder | LATEST NEWS

Wonder why US kept silent, when India try to put finger on Pakistan. American knows whats going under NATO umbrella in Afghanistan. Now what do you think. Pakistan has enemies all around....who they should trust ?

 

[PeacefulIndian]

This is how the game is played in case you are new to it. You do the same in Kashmir and we do it where we need to. Its not all untrue and its not all true either.

Then, do not start whining if India really supports the Baloch separatists. After all, that is how the game is played, isn't it?

 

[Rafael]

Then, do not start whining if India really supports the Baloch separatists. After all, that is how the game is played, isn't it?

look who is saying

 

[rubyjackass]

At least they came out now. But the timing of the accusation couldn't be worse. When the whole world is looking at Swat and the deal, pointing fingers at India, BLA and Afghans is not that wise not effective. A better timing would have given the move some sting.