Senior Baloch Leader Nawab Akbar Bugti Killed

Pakistan security forces have reportedly killed senior Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar in a massive military operation in the Bhambore Hills, an area between the cities of Kohlu and Dera Bugti. As the news of Bugti’s death was confirmed there has been an unprecedented rise in violence in Quetta and other Baloch dominated areas.

As many as 21 army commandos and 37 rebels had also been killed in the same operation, which targeted 50 to 80 of Nawab Bugti’s closest family members and top commanders. Reports also indicated that Balochistan Liberation Army Chief Balach Marri and Nawab Bugti’s grandsons Brahamdagh and Mir Ali Bugti were also killed in the fighting.

The Baloch leader's son-in-law, Senator Agha Bugti, also said that 80-year-old Bugti was killed in the military operation near Dera Bugti town, which is close to a mountain hideout in the restive Balochistan.

Pakistan government also declared red alert in the rest of the country, especially Karachi and Lahore, anticipating heavy public protest over the killing of Bugti.

Earlier, a senior Baloch politician Sanaullah Baloch had alleged that the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was using poisonous gas to kill innocent civilians in the troubled province of Balochistan.

Baloch nationalists have been demanding secure employment for locals in projects being executed in Baloch areas but the Pakistani government is not keen on providing much help to the people.

Balochistan constitutes 43% of Pakistan, although its people account for only 8% of the 162 million population. The people of Balochistan are still living in the stone-age and people living close to the gas rich Sui in Balochistan were still using wood to make fire in winter.