First it was Bangladesh now it Baluchistan

Re: # 55 Krashid:

Altaf bhai had threatened on numerous occasions to pull out of the govt. if this or that action was taken in B'stan. Yet all those actions were taken, Bugti was killed, now Balach Marri has been killed, and Pir sahib hasn't moved a finger.

Talk is cheap. Hypocrisy would be the undoing of MQM.

krashid: you can keep beating mqm's drum hoping there are pakistanis stupid enough to forget about how they betrayed the rest of Pakistan during their struggle for freedom from dictatorship. wont change a thing - mqm has been a divisive party that has done most damage to karachiites themselves.

hamidm #46 and did you see his miserable face under the pomp and show of his forced retirement? did you hear his sucking up to the military (on whose goodwill he now depends to keep himself from being brought before a court for his criminal actions)? not one word about the Pakistani people except to growl about how he is confident that the military will push aside anyone who dares come in its way!! And this man wants to be the civilian President of Pakistan?? Give me a break!!

#21 Posted by saima_gul

That is an excellent post on Balochistan.I hope Dada got the answers. Saima your knowledge of Balochistan is amazing. I have Rind friends but I am sure they too don't have as good an understanding of the Jat tribes of Balochistan.

Your take is right. Baloch and Pathan of Balochistan are very sympathtic to each other even though politically they look to different idealogies.

Thanks.
Pleae keep posting on Balochistan and other areas of Pakistan.

Although tensions remained high, there were attempts within the Pakistani government to ameliorate the situation through more peaceful means.

Chaudhry Shujuat Hussain, leader of President Musharaf’s Pakistani Muslim League issued a set of 32 recommendations on how to address Baluchistan’s rebel grievances. The three main recommendations were that first, the province inhabitants be given a greater share of the gas profits (the region contains 40% of Pakistan’s natural gas reserves) and more jobs in the exploitation of gas resources. Second, pay the Baluchistan province arrears of $100 million

STOP THE ARMY OPERATION IN BALOCHISTAN


London – 1st August 2004:

MQM Founder Leader Mr Altaf Hussain has said that he is extremely saddened over the army operation launched in various areas of Balochistan including Turbat, Gwadar, Sui, Talar, Kohlu, Basholi, Makran and Chaman. He strongly demanded of the Government of Pakistan to immediately stop this army operation and to resolve the Balochistan issues through honourable dialogue

Articulating his personal views on the issue, Mr Hussain said that he is extremely saddened over the recent on-going army operation in Balochistan and that he and his party, the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), share the sorrow and grief of the people of Balochistan.


Party in Pak’s ruling coalition withdraws breakaway threat over military action
(AP)

9 January 2006



KARACHI, Pakistan -

A party in Pakistan’s ruling coalition has withdrawn its threat to break away after saying the government met its demand to halt military operations in Baluchistan province and pursue negotiations with tribesmen there.


The Mutahida Qami Movement, or MQM, had said on Sunday it would pull out of the alliance if the government did not agree to its demands by Jan. 13.

But hours later, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz made separate telephone calls to MQM chief Altaf Hussain and said there would be no military operation in Baluchistan, according to Salahuddin Haider, an adviser with MQM.

“Both the president and prime minister assured (MQM) that there will be no military operation,� Haider said.



MMA role in coalition a mistake: Ghafoor




By Our Correspondent

LAHORE, June 7: The senior naib amir of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, on Thursday conceded that the MMA’s presence in the coalition government of Balochistan was a political mistake and the alliance should pull out of it sooner than later.

Speaking at a news conference, Prof Ghafoor said the burden for such a decision rested entirely with the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, the JI’s partner in the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, which continued to be part of the coalition along with the ruling PML.

“It is the JUI which must now review its position as any further cooperation with the regime in that province will take a heavy political toll on the MMA particularly at a time when the next elections are approaching,� he added.

The JI leader, however, did not agree to the suggestion that the MMA should also quit the NWFP government. He said the MMA was ruling the province because the people had given it the right to rule through their vote. It had a mandate to rule the province as a legitimate and constitutional right.

The JI leader said all the opposition parties knew about the repercussions of Gen Pervez Musharraf seeking his re-election from the present assemblies and there was a general consensus among the opposition ranks that Musharraf should not be allowed to be re-elected in uniform.

He said seeking a vote from the present assemblies for another five years in the presidency when the legislatures’ own remaining life was only five months was not only unconstitutional, but also anomalous. He was of the view that Gen Musharraf would not be able to get re-elected ‘under any circumstances’.

He advised the president to accept the ‘ground reality’ by withdrawing from both his offices and this alone would ensure peace in the country.

Asked about the decision of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto not to attend the multi-party conference in London, Prof Ghafoor hoped that the PPP leader had also said she was not having a deal with the regime and only talks with certain high-ups were held so far.

“I hope that Ms Bhutto will not deviate from the principles enunciated by the ARD’s charter of democracy and has reviewed the party policy under the situation prevalent in the country.�

At the outset, Prof Ghafoor spelled out the entire political scenario, criticising the regime’s internal and external policies and observed that Gen Musharraf had started confrontation with all sections of society and state institutions.

The current national crisis, according to him, was similar to that of the 1971 because a lack of implementation of the constitutional provision about provincial autonomy and army operation in Balochistan and the NWFP had created a sense of alienation. Even in Sindh, the voices of secession were being raised.

So of three major Coalition Parties.
1- PML wanted peaceful solution.
2- MMA wanted operation stopped but will continue to be part of Government
3- MQM threatened to quit the Government unless operation stops.

hamidm #46 did you predict mush "taking off his uniform"? fine. will the PCO go? that too will happen no doubt - perhaps announced as mush as part of his becoming a civilian president in an effort to make everyone forget about the Chief Justice and the scores of brave judges who have sacrificed their personal careers for the sake of the rule of law in Pakistan.

but will this scoundrel then stay on in power due to a deal with nawaz sharif or BB? i have my doubts. but if he does, that is fine. His name is mud given the vicious manner in which he has attacked the Pakistani people in various ways, including making deals with mullahs over the heads of the pakistani people in order to stay in power, using lal masjid mullahs to intimidate Pakistanis until the chinese pulled his ears, including "disappearing" hundreds of Pakistanis, kargill. and his name will remain mud for all eternity. so he can remain president for a little while longer with his "oversmarts", no big deal.

All I ask is this: they restore the Supreme Court that this scoundrel destroyed on September 3 - and the only way to restore it is by putting the CJ and the other judges back and giving the boot to the rubber stamps currently disgracing the SC building.

nasah #43 i was just trying to give hamidm a hard time by reminding him that a few days back he had referred to mush as a "rising sun" or something.

Urstruly:
Army is the defender of Nation. (And I don't care where it originates as long as it keeps its secular tradition and people from all part of Pakistan accept them as such)
There has been operation against MQM by the Army and close to 10,000 so called Mohajirs have been killed during 1990,s. Majority of their leadership was underground or absconded.
I don't understand your grudge against MQM for the crimes of Army.
Who welcomed the Army and Pervez Musharraf (who is also an army person nothing more nothing less). Who is the leader of Party created by Army.
Now if you think Naseerullah Babar, the Interior minister was MQM person who basically unleashed a spate of killing and extrajudicial killing. I think that he was Anti MQM.
The only time MQM took part in any activity was 12th of March 2007, when Chief justice came to Karachi. And MQM was running the administration, at that time. And I can tell you job of administration is keeping law and order without looking at who is creating law and order situation.
MQM has all along supported the Baluch Nationals. And has been and still is against the Army operation in Baluchistan.
Do you have any knowledge which parties supported operation in Baluchistan and which parties were against it.
If you think Pervez Musharraf is MQM. He is not. MQM and Pervez Musharraf are as far apart as Maulana FazlurRehman and Pervez Musharraf.
Tell me if General Niazi, Yahya Khan and General Kiyani fall into the category of fouji Harami or not.
As far as Paltoo kuttas. At one time JamateIslami was so much Paltoo Kutta of Army that it was the only party which supported the referendum of ZiaulHaq.
Nawaz Sharif is a known Pedawar of army(IJI) would you categorize him as paltoo kutta. Or was he at one time and no more.
Do you think Benazir and Nawaz Sharif have come through a deal or through public pressure.
It is surprising as I said in my previous board that Pakistan is still surviving.
(Just to put the record straight. I don't belong to or have sympathy for MQM).
And as Quran said "Enmity of someone should not make you blind, so that you stray away from justice".

A timely article indeed. The murder of the great Baloch leader, Akbar Bugti, is the most heinous crime committed by Mush. He is veritably a worshiper of the 'Kaali Kursi Devi' and can go to any length like 'Thug' killers.

Re: # 49

vrv,

.... i didn't say hunky dory in pakistan ... i said it is 'business as usual in baluchistan' ....actually, things were a lot worse in the mid-seventies ......... i was born in quetta and half my relatives live there, so i know a little bit about it ......

hamid,

I've a problem with ur alter-ego squeeling for nothing.

U say (on Bluchistaan) as if everything is hunky-dory in Pakistan. Lol!

Re: # 46
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, Pakistan's new military commander, is a popular soldier who is likely to reduce the army's political role, repair frayed ties with politicians and try to turn the tables on an escalating insurgency by pro-Taliban militants.(Amen!)
.
While Musharraf is respected by the military commanders he has nurtured, such as Kayani, the new chief now holds a position more powerful than the presidency itself and he is considered an independent-minded officer who will put the army's interests ahead of his mentor's.(Amen!)

Pakistani analysts describe Kayani as a soldier's soldier, with a modern, pro-Western outlook. Although he was hand-picked by Musharraf, Kayani is likely to confine himself to military matters and remove the armed forces from day-to-day politics, they say.(Amen!)

A Western military official in Islamabad said that with a new military commander ``who is not distracted by politics,'' there is ``cautious optimism'' the army will concentrate more on fighting extremists.(Amen!)

In public appearances, the lanky Kayani is stone-faced and serious, with dark bags under the eyes of a hawkish face.
He is known to choose his words carefully, preferring to listen rather than to speak.(so no verbal diarrhea. Amen!)

In the 1990s, he served as Benazir Bhutto's military secretary during her first term as prime minister and is said to be on good terms with many in Pakistan's political elite.(AP)

Did Musharraf make the same mistake ZAB did and NS did? Kiyani was the only officer who who did not participate -- sat stone faced without uttering a word -- during Musharraf despicable badgering of the Chief Justice to resign.

Re: # 45

vrv,

... don't worry your little head ... baluchistan is not a problem ... it is basically a tribal conflict that has been going on for ever ........ it is the marris against the bugtis against the mengals, and they are all a bunch of feudal fools trying to protect their fiefdoms .....every ten years or so the army has to go in and knock one tribe's head with the help of the other .......

.....the bla is a piece of nonsense as was evident from the events of last week ..... one day the younger brother is killed and the next day the father meets with benazir bhutto and the older brother files his papers to run for the national assembly! ......

.....in any case the pushtuns probably outnumber the baluchs by now and most of the traditional sardars are either dying off or moving to the cities to work for multi nationals or the fauji foundation .........

Re: # 38


cerberus musharraf

tahmed,

...... mush has done exactly what i predicted - taken off the uniform and become the president ..... the emergency will also go in a couple of days ...... i don't think he will try to rig the elections because a hung parliament is what he wants ...... the chaudharies might have different ideas ....... it also depends on what kind of 'deal' he has with nawaz sharif (anyone who believes that there was no deal is a bigger fool than romair and masadi put together)

..... if the politicians don't boycott the elections - which i don't think they will (a deal is a deal) - mush will be around to the preside over a hung parliament and the bickering politicians with his 58B ......... if bb and ns can get together and put together a two third majority, they might be able to overturn 58B and defang mush .......... otherwise bush in mufti will continue to guard the gates to hell .........

problem that's brewing in Balochistan is real.

Salimbhai,

Tahmed32 lost his marbles or dont know the topic of this article OR prolly he's substituing for Mantolives, who was on sabbatical from Chowk.

The problems that brewed in East Pakistan were real and the problem that's brewing in Balochistan are real. However tahmed32 is acting like a jerk. Prolly he's too dense to know the nuances of the issue or the 10K life on Chowk has taken toll on his sense of propriety. :-((

My only hope is that he can discuss the points raised here in the spirit they are originally intended. If he prefers to act in a jerky manner the refuge for such behaviour is Unplugged. Hope we can see him there........