ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has decided to convene an all parties conference on Balochistan.

He said that after holding a meeting with the foreign minister, the DG of ISI and the COAS on the security situation in the country, he had decided to convene the conference as soon as possible. After making the announcement during an interaction with a group of journalists on Wednesday evening, Mr Gilani settled back to answer questions on issues ranging from his court case to elections, Pakistan-US relations and peace with India. The prime minister, proud of his status as a leader who builds consensus, was only willing to talk about his past policy decisions. But he did not want to commit himself to anything which he had not discussed with others. Hence, a decision on Balochistan is to be left to the APC to be called soon; his court case was in the hands of his lawyer and his party; and when asked about whether or not the government was going to ask the IMF for budgetary support, he suggested his finance minister was the right person to answer the question. He said there were two issues in Balochistan, missing people and the law and order problem, relatively innocuous words to describe a rather serious crisis. He then proceeded to answer a number of questions about interference by neighbouring countries and the United States where the Congress had recently held a hearing on the troubled province. Dismissing the concerns, the prime minister simply said the Balochistan issue had to be resolved internally. In the APC, he said, all issues related to the restive province would be discussed. When asked about alleged corruption in his government, he put the onus on the judiciary and said if there was any wrongdoing what was stopping the courts from taking notice of it. In all, four or five cases of alleged corruption on the basis of which he and his family suffered a media trial were sub judice, the prime minister said. Starting from appointment of Adnan Khawaja as OGDC chairman and corruption in Haj operations to the most recent case of Khurram Rasool, he said, he had been projected as a villain. And the ironic part of the story is that all these cases are still in courts, but the media has declared its verdict against me, said the prime minister. When asked why he was adamantly refusing to write a letter to the Swiss authorities as ruled by the Supreme Court, he insisted that it was neither his nor his partys decision. Instead, he said, the president was part of parliament where he was heading a coalition government whose members were against writing the letter, Therefore, he added, he would not commit contempt of parliament.

ISLAMABAD: United States Embassy in Islamabad on Saturday said that the US policy has nothing to do with the resolution tabled in the US House of Representatives on Balochistan province. There has been strong condemnation by Pakistan over US lawmaker resolution in House of Representatives seeking self determination for Balochistan. The resolution moved by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican, said the Baloch people have the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country; and they should be afforded the opportunity to choose their own status. US Embassy statement, said the US respected Pakistans sovereignty and Balochistan was an internal matter of the country. Several issues are discussed in US Congress, it said. Embassy said it would not comment on the resolution regarding Balochistan. The US supported human rights across the world, it said. Earlier, US state departments spokesperson Victoria Nuland had said that the US has no intentions to interfere in internal affairs of Pakistan.

Balochistan resolution
From the Newspaper | Editorial | 21 hours ago IN a more rational world, Pak-US relations would be conducted in a calm and reasonable manner against a backdrop of mutual respect for and understanding of what animates the other countrys interests. Alas, in the world we do inhabit many of those traits are missing when it comes to the business of Pak-US relations. Taking the bait of Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Pakistani officials have fallen over themselves to express outrage at the congressmans attempt doomed to failure from the outset to get his fellow American legislators to support a Baloch right to self-determination. On Saturday, Prime Minister Gilani himself denounced Mr Rohrabachers resolution. Politicians will be politicians and, given that Mr Rohrabacher was the one who chose to deliberately provoke, perhaps it was too much to hope for that Pakistani officialdom would not react. Amidst all of this, the US administration has tried to put some distance between itself and the troublemaking Congressman Rohrabacher but the assurance that US government policy very much respects the existing boundaries of Pakistan is already drowned out by the conspiracy brigade here that sees grand plans to arm-twist or undermine Pakistan behind every move that originates in the US. But playing politics with international relations comes with its own set of dangers. In a more functional world, the government here would have understood that while protesting Mr Rohrabachers initiative was necessary for the purposes of domestic politics, some rationality

also had to be injected into the debate by clearly indicating that Mr Rohrabacher was not the face of the US administration and that his is a minority point of view in US foreign policy circles. The dangers of whipping up anti-Americanism are well known to anyone who has followed the security establishments use of such tactics as a buffer against American demands: sooner than later, the state here becomes hostage to the very anti-Americanism it fans to try and gain a tactical advantage. Consider that one of the reasons the recommendations for revamping Pak-US relations have not been laid before a joint session of parliament is believed to be the governments concern about the reaction of right-wing groupings, most notably the Difaa-i-Pakistan, that have mobilised in the country in recent months. Given that the right-wing wants a complete break in ties with the US, and thats something good sense and reality would dictate against, the government is content to delay the normalisation of ties with the US. This is what happens when mindless antiAmericanism is rampant. So, condemn Mr Rohrabacher by all means but also take care to not stoke passions to which the state itself becomes hostage. KARACHI: Altaf Hussain, the chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, has said that wrong policies and suppression of the voice of Baloch people have brought Balochistan to the verge of separation from the country. If we fail to find a solution we may lose Balochistan, he said while addressing on phone a large gathering of women at the Bagh-i-Quaid on Sunday. Mr Hussain mainly focused on issues of women and said the country could not be strengthened without empowering them. About Balochistan, he said he had always raised the sensitive issue but no-one paid heed to it. Referring to a recent move in the US Congress, he said the situation had worsened to an extent that resolutions were being tabled in parliaments of other countries for granting the right of selfdetermination to the Baloch people. He said he had repeatedly asked the rulers to convene a conference on Balochistan, but it appears to be already late because Baloch leaders have lost trust in the rulers of Pakistan. He urged the authorities concerned to give the people of Balochistan all their legitimate rights. If no solution is found then, God forbid, Balochistan may be lost, he said. The MQM chief said a new chapter had been written in the countrys political history with the womens meeting. Referring to recent rallies held at Bagh-i-Jinnah, he said that although other parties had made tall claims about massive shows of strength, the MQM had shown that only its women could face the opponents challenge.

He claimed that the gathering was the largest of its kind held anywhere in the world and over a million women filled the Bagh-i-Jinnah, adjoining roads and the premises of the Mazar-i-Quaid. He said the event itself was a revolution and claimed that all other parties would not be able to organise such a huge gathering even if they joined together to do so. Mr Hussain said the MQM had brought women in the mainstream of national politics and had organised its first womens meeting in 1988 and another in the Nishtar Park in 2005. He said the MQM always raised its voice against injustices against women. The party forcefully raised its voice in favour of Shaista Almani, Dr Shazia and Dr Aafia Siddiqui . The MQM chief demanded Dr Aafia Siddiquis release on humanitarian grounds. He said there were areas in the country where women did not have the right to vote or contest elections. He condemned customs like karo-kari, honour killing, vani and marriage with the Holy Quran and said incidents of gang rape, throwing acid on women, shaving their heads and cutting off their limbs were extremely shameful. He said the MQM was against all evil customs, cruelties and injustices and wanted to emancipate women and restore their dignity. He said the Women Protection Bill had been passed by parliament because of MQMs efforts. The MQM also introduced legislations in the Sindh Assembly about honour killing and domestic violence. Mr Hussain said that women should be given an equal share in every sphere of life. He said the MQMs manifesto was based on the last address of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) which clearly stated that all people were equal. He called for abolition of feudal system and said educated people from the poor and middle classes should also be given the right to take part in politics. He said the MQM wanted to end gender discrimination and give equal opportunities to women. He also called for the recovery of all missing persons, including 28 workers of the MQM. The speech was followed by a fireworks display. MQMs decision to hold the womens gathering at the place where the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) and Difa-i-Pakistan Council had recently held their public meetings appeared to be aimed at showing that the party still had a firm grip on the citys politics.

Raisani condemns US resolution on Balochistan

Agencies 2 days ago

Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Aslam Raisani. File photo QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani on Saturday strongly condemned resolution moved in the US Congress in support of separatists and termed it interference in Pakistans internal affairs and violation of international laws. He demanded the federal government to protest with the United States in this connection. He has also asked American government to keep anti Pakistan Senators and members of Congress away from such activities. Expressing his concerns over the said resolution, the chief minister said that the member of US Congress, Dana Rohrabacher who tabled the resolution, was a disputed personality and his anti Pakistan sentiments were not hidden from anyone. He had filed a bill to stop Pakistans assistance in Congress after Abbotabad operation. He also had taken a stand to return wreckage of crashed American helicopter used in the Abbottabad raid. Raisani said it was the same man who in the early 1990 while supporting Taliban had claimed Taliban were members of an organised morale society and they wanted real progress and terming them terrorist was not correct by any mean.

He also supported terrorist Mohiuddin in 2007 who was imprisoned in US for his involvement in killing of women and children in Bangladesh. Now the same Republican Congress man has moved a misleading resolution in the House of Representatives about Balochistan situation in which it has been stated that in 1958, 1973 and 2005 resistances were demonstration of peoples opinion against Rule of Islamabad, said the chief minister. Any separation movement in Balochistan is nothing but an adventure for him (Dana Rohrabacher), said Raisani. The chief minister said there was an elected and politically representative government in Balochistan which has representation of every area of the province and it has been elected by the people. He said the resolution moved in the US Congress was not only against sovereignty of Pakistan but it also assailed the mandate of Balochistan people. He said tabling resolution at a time when presidents of Afghanistan and Iran were attending trilateral conference in Pakistan, was nothing but an attempt to create rift among the countries of the region. The chief minister urged the federal government to persist with the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and other common projects in energy sector without tolerating any outside interference.

US distances itself from Balochistan resolution

DAWN.COM |Agencies 2 days ago

Flags of Pakistan and US. -- File Photo ISLAMABAD: United States Embassy in Islamabad on Saturday said that the US policy has nothing to do with the resolution tabled in the US House of Representatives on Balochistan province. There has been strong condemnation by Pakistan over US lawmaker resolution in House of Representatives seeking self determination for Balochistan. The resolution moved by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican, said the Baloch people have the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country; and they should be afforded the opportunity to choose their own status. US Embassy statement, said the US respected Pakistans sovereignty and Balochistan was an internal matter of the country. Several issues are discussed in US Congress, it said. Embassy said it would not comment on the resolution regarding Balochistan. The US supported human rights across the world, it said. Earlier, US state departments spokesperson Victoria Nuland had said that the US has no intentions to interfere in internal affairs of Pakistan.

Seven killed, two injured in Turbat gunattack

DAWN.COM

16th February, 2012

The attack left five workers on the spot, while two others failed to recover from their injuries and passed away in Turbat Hospital. File photo by Reuters TURBAT: A gun-attack in the Turbat region of Balochistan killed seven people and injured two others, DawnNews reported on Tuesday. According to security officials, 12 men were working on restoring a road in Turbat Municipality, when unidentified gunmen opened fire at them. The attack left five workers on the spot, while two others failed to recover from their injuries and passed away in Turbat Hospital. Banned nationalist outfit Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) has claimed responsibility for carrying out the attack. The attackers, who fled the scene, also set fire to three vehicles belonging to the road-works team. An earlier attack (January 12) in the same area killed 14 FC personnel.

Fifty-nine missing persons recovered in Balochistan

DAWN.COM 10th February, 2012

Out of the 148 missing persons in Balochistan, 16 were found dead, said a senior government official.File photo QUETTA: The Balochistan Government on Friday said that out of 148 missing persons in the province, 16 had been found dead while 59 had been recovered, DawnNews reported. A senior provincial official told a press conference here that there were cases pending against 148 missing persons in various courts. Last year, 110 people were kidnapped out of which 70 had been recovered, he added

Domki family killing was a message

S. Raza Hassan | Metropolitan > Karachi | From the Newspaper 9th February, 2012

KARACHI, Feb 4: Investigators who interviewed the only witness to the targeted killing of the wife, daughter and driver of Balochistan provincial assembly member Mir Muhammad Bakhtiar Khan Domki, a young maid employed by the family, feel certain that the killings were carried out to convey a message to Brahmadagh Bugti, the grandson of the slain Nawab Akbar Bugti. Mr Domkis wife was Brahmadagh Bugtis sister.

The maid had narrated the incident to senior law-enforcement officers before she was handed over to the bereaved family hours after the attack. During the early hours of Jan 31, at around 1:30 am, assailants killed Jhumar, 32, and her daughter Janna, 13, and their driver at a deserted street close to the Gizri bridge within the remit of the Clifton police station. Apart from the young maid, there is no other witness to the gory killings. The fact that the girl was spared suggests that it was not a random, but very selective targeted killing, the investigators remarked. Requesting anonymity they told Dawn that the girl saw three men come out of a car that intercepted their vehicle and first kill the driver. The men separated the maid from the rest and then killed Janna. Upon this, Jannas mother became hysterical, asking the attackers what they would do next. They replied that they were going to kill her, and proceeded to do just that, the investigators quoting the young maid told Dawn. The murders were committed with two AK-47 rifles fired at point-blank range. An empty magazine and several dozen spent bullet casings were recovered from the crime-scene by the police. According to the investigators, it appeared that the attackers were following their target and chose a deserted street for the killing. Although the make of the car used in the attack is not yet clear, the investigators said that as per the maids account, it was a small black car. The use of an assault rifle in such a murder is a question that investigators are still pondering over.

Govt offers olive branch to Baloch separatists

DAWN.COM 10th February, 2012

Rehman Malik also condemned drone attacks in the tribal areas. -File photo ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Friday claimed that a third force is trying to destabilise the situation in Balochistan and said that the government is ready to hold a dialogues with Baloch separatists, DawnNews reported. The Senate session today discussed the law and order situation in the province. Malik defended the security forces by saying that the Army, Frontier Constabulary (FC) and other security agencies were trying to save Pakistan. Senator Shahid Bugti raised the issues of missing persons and political murders in Turbat and asked the interior minister to inform the upper house on progress made on these issues. Furing the session, Deputy Chairman Speaker Jan Mohammad Jamali requested Malik to brief the Senate on the Balochistan situation. The minister said he was ready to give a detailed in-camera briefing to the Senate on the law and order situation in the province. He further said that conspiracies were being hatched to separate the province from Pakistan, and urged the need for every one to take the issue seriously. He also condemned drone attacks in the tribal areas.

Rights violations shame Pakistanis at Congress hearing

Anwar Iqbal

3 days ago

US congressional hearing room Photo by Malik Siraj Akbar WASHINGTON: Guilt and shame were the two dominant feelings that overwhelmed many Pakistanis at a US congressional hearing room on Wednesday as witnesses detailed human rights abuses in Balochistan. Some were also troubled while some felt elated as all five US lawmakers who attended this unusual hearing of the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations stressed the Baloch right to self-determination. But this emotive session which often drew warm applause from Baloch nationalists offered little insight into how to resolve this difficult issue. Perhaps, thats not even the intention of those who had organised the meeting. They wanted to highlight Balochistan as a possibly explosive spot close to a US war-theatre and they succeeded in doing so. There was some score-settling as well, particularly from US lawmakers upset with Pakistan over Osama bin Ladens discovery in Abbottabad and with Islamabads decision to close Natos supply lines to Afghanistan. They sheltered the man who master-minded the slaughter of 3,000 Americans. Those who still believe Pakistan is a friend, they need to wake up, said Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican, who organised and chaired the hearing. Dr. M. Hosseinbor, a Baloch nationalist scholar, assured the Americans that the Balochs were natural US allies and would like to share the Gwadar port with the United States, would not allow the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline through their lands and will fight the Taliban as well.

Ralph Peters, a retired US military officer, urged the US administration to break up its ties with Pakistan and support the Baloch struggle for freedom. C. Christine Fair, an assistant Professor at Georgetown University, in her written statement, disagreed with the suggestion, saying that given the ethnic diversity of the province, its complicated history, and the existing geographic constraints, an independent Balochistan was untenable. But such comments on Baloch politics were not what shamed the Pakistanis, and others, in the room. It was rampant human rights violations by both sides that shamed them. According to the statistics submitted at the hearing, around 6,000 people were displaced and scores killed in 2005 around Dera Bugti district alone. Estimates of total number of people displaced from all districts range from tens to hundreds of thousands. After Gen. Pervez Musharrafs ouster, Pakistans Interior Ministry estimated that 1,100 Baloch had disappeared during his rule. So far, the government has only uncovered the fate of a handful of these people. Armed Baloch groups are also responsible for targeted killings and destroying private property. In the past several years, they have increasingly targeted non-Baloch civilians and their businesses, as well as major gas installations and infrastructure. They have also killed teachers, physicians and lawyers and struck police and security forces and military bases throughout the province. Militant religious groups also have carried out targeted killings of those Muslims who belong to sects different from there. It was Prof. Fair, who was the first to point out, that while she understood emotions ran high, targeted killings were also being carried out by the Baloch. Amnesty Internationals Advocacy Director T. Kumar called on the US to apply the Leahy Amendment without waivers to all Pakistani military units in Balochistan to prevent the Pakistani military from using US-made weapons against the Baloch. Ali Dayan Hasan, the Pakistan director for Human Rights Watch, said that Pakistans security forces and its intelligence agencies were involved in the enforced disappearance of Baloch nationalists. He asked the US government to communicate directly to the agencies responsible for disappearances and other abuses including the army, ISI, IB, Frontier Corps, police, to demand an end to abuses and facilitate criminal inquiries to hold perpetrators accountable.

Congressman Rohrabacher declared that the hearing was no stunt, and that they wanted to start a national dialogue on what US policy should be in that part of the world.

Senators call for early arrest of killers of Domki family

APP 9th February, 2012

Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari said that both federal and Sindh govs were trying to arrest the culprits involved in this heinous crime. File Photo ISLAMABAD: Senators from both side of aisle on Wednesday condemned brutal killing of Mir Bakhtiar Domkis wife and daughter in Karachi and called for early arrest of the killers involved in this crime. Speaking on a Point of Order, Shahid Bugti said that Mir Bakhtiar Domkis wife and daughter were gunned down when they were retuning home after attending wedding ceremony of his son in Karachi. He said that they had no enmity with any one and women and children are never targeted both in Baloch and Pakhtun society. Hasil Bizenjo said that killing Balochi innocent women and children would mar the situation in Balochistan and would encourage those who talked against the countrys interests.

Abdur Rahim Mandokhel strongly condemned the killing and said it was unfortunate that now women were being killed for political gains. He said that they were struggling for the last 64 years for the supremacy of law and constitution. Prof Khursheed Ahmed said that it was a deplorable act and demanded immediate arrest of the killers. He said that situation in Balochistan was getting worse and time has come to work collectively for bringing normalcy there. Zahid Khan said that prudent policy should be devised to improve the situation. Sherala Malik condoled Domkis wife and daughter deaths and said that all political parties should join hand and devise a strategy to stop such tragic incidents. Naeem Hussain Chatta said that it was a brutal act of terrorism peace must be restored in Karachi and Balochistan. He said that Nawab Akbar Bugti was among those politicians who fully supported creation of Pakistan and always struggled for strong federation. He said that Chief Justice of Pakistan also took suo moto notice of the incident which was a positive development. Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said that practical steps should be taken to arrest the culprits behind this crime. He said that almost three days have been passed but no culprit was arrested so far. Abdul Nabi Bangash, Haji Adeel, S M Zafar, Sabir Baloch, Kalsoom Parveen, Seemi Sadiqi, Maulana Saleh Shah, Najma Hameed and Haroon Akhtar also condemned the incident and called for early arrest of the killers. Meanwhile, Leader of the House Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari said that those forces who wanted to destabilise Balochistan would be unearthed. He said that the issue should also be brought before the Parliamentary Committee of National Security. He said that both Federal and Sindh governments were trying to arrest the culprits involved in this heinous crime. He said that we equally shared sorrow and grief over the deceased family, and termed the incident a condemnable act. He said that Pakistans integrity was top priority of the government.