International   

"Foreign hand in Balochistan"

Nirupama Subramanian

Pakistan goes on a media offensive

ISLAMABAD: The foreign-hand-in-Balochistan theme has begun to move up in the Pakistan Government storyline of the situation in the troubled province.

In an attempt to contain the political fall-out of the Bugti killing, the Government has gone on a coordinated media offensive to give its side of the story.

Minister after minister has been holding press conferences, virtually saying the same thing: the death of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti is unfortunate and was not the result of a targeted killing; the Government had tried to hold a political dialogue with him; he was bent on creating an untenable situation of violence and anarchy in the province, and; a "foreign hand" was exploiting the situation.

Not new

The allegation that India is meddling in Balochistan is not new but as the Government fights off criticism over the Bugti killing, the reference, oblique most of the time, but with enough hints as to leave no doubts, to the Indian hand has increased in frequency.

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Mohammed Ali Durrani told journalists there was an influx of arms into Balochistan through the Afghanistan border, mentioning in the same breath the Indian consulates in Afghan border towns.

At a separate press conference, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Tariq Azeem said the activities of "our friends" in Afghanistan had become "very noticeable."

Musharraf's comments

Local journalists, briefed after a meeting on Monday between President Pervez Musharraf and senior political leaders, reported him as saying that "a foreign hand creating law and order problems in certain parts of Balochistan could not be ruled out."

The Dawn, quoting a participant, reported that "the meeting was told that the Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing, was operating through Indian consulates in Kandahar and Zahidan for sending arms and money into Balochistan."

The President reportedly said the supplies of sophisticated arms and money into Bugti areas had been cut off with the sealing of six border points — Rahimyar Khan, Sanghar, Jacobabad, Waziristan, Zhob and Chagai. He said this is why many rebels had started surrendering.

At a briefing on Monday, the foreign office spokeswoman said Afghanistan was being used for "destabilising activities" against Pakistan, but exonerated Kabul. She said Pakistan and Afghanistan have "a long and complicated border" and it was not easy to seal it. President Musharraf is scheduled to leave for Kabul on Wednesday. Minister Tariq Azeem said the issue may come up in talks between President Musharraf and Afghan Prime Minister Hamid Karzai.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

"Foreign hand in Balochistan"
Uneasy calm near Sampur
Pakistan, local Taliban sign peace agreement
The worst is over: Castro
60 Taliban militants killed
Row over luxury house
Sri Lankan MPs seek meeting with Manmohan
India links partnership to arms sales by France

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu