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Bugti sees army operation in Sui, other areas 

Veteran Baloch leader and Jamhoori Watan Party chief Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti has expressed fears that a military operation in Sui and the Bugti areas may soon be launched for which preparations appear to have begun. 

Talking to newsmen in Dera Bugti on Wednesday, he said according to his information, a convoy of 3,000 army troops had left Quetta, Pannu Aqil and Kashmor for Sui and Dera Bugti along with artillery, while six gunship helicopters had already landed at the Sibi helipad. 

Nawab Bugti said that the closure of a gas purification plant in the Sui area could be a prelude to the impending operation. "In the next couple of days an operation would be launched in the area," he said and added that the area was already under siege as 6,500-10,000 FC men and 750 DSG personnel were already present in the Bugti area, while 3,000 to 4,000 Rangers had set up their camp just outside the Bugti area at the Sindh-Punjab border. 

Nawab Bugti said how negotiations on political issues could continue with the government in this situation. "Military operation and negotiations could not continue side by side," the Jamhoori Watan Party chief said. 

"If the authorities launch an operation then with whom they would hold negotiations," Nawab Bugti said and pointed out that Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri had already made it clear that he had nothing to do with these dialogues and Sardar Attaullah Mengal had also disassociated himself from the process in protest against the arrest of party workers and other reasons. 

When asked to comment on the statement of President Gen Pervez Musharraf warning tribesmen of tough action, the veteran Baloch leader said that Gen Musharraf had power and was enjoying the support of the United States. 

He said it was not for the first time that President Musharraf had criticized nationalists as he issued such warnings also during his visit to Quetta, Gwadar and other areas in the recent past and was again warning of military action. 

Replying to a question about clashes in Sui, Nawab Bugti said they were in reaction to the incident of criminal assault on a lady doctor in which security guards were involved but instead of arresting the accused and taking action against them, the PPL management and high-ups of Defence Services Group tried to hide this heinous crime. 

He said the incident of criminal assault was a stigma on Baloch society and people reacted to it when no action was taken against the accused. He lamented that the accused could not be arrested even after 10 days because they were uniformed personnel. Local administration and police were not allowed to take action against them, he added. 

Nawab Bugti said as far as the Sui situation was concerned, the Balochistan Liberation Army had claimed responsibility for it and also given reasons for its action. The organization claimed that it was struggling for the rights of Baloch people, their honour and dignity, he added. 

He said in retaliation to the BLA attacks, the Frontier Corps and personnel of DSG targeted civilian population and fired hundreds of rockets and mortar shells at residential areas in Sui, killing and injuring innocent people including women and children, besides damaging property. 

He denied reports that gas installations were a target during Tuesday's clashes. "This is all wrong," he said and added that hitting the 40-50 feet high important towers and purification and compressor plants was easier than targeting small pipelines laid on the ground. He said nobody targeted gas installations and the plant which were visible from miles. Dawn.com 13.1.05
Military operation in Dera Bugti is likely in a days: Says Bugti

Veteran politician Nawab Akbar Bugti has said that all the preparations have been made to launch military operation in Dera Bugti. 

He expressed these views while talking to the journalists here Wednesday in Dera Bugti. He indicated that operation is likely to start within a days. This way talks process and military operation can not go side by side, he added. 

He questioned if government launched operation then with whom they would hold talks. 

He claimed that about 3000 army men, 12 guns, 6 gunship helicopters have landed on Sibi helipad. FC with its strength of 7000 personnel is already present in the area of Bugti. 750 personnel of DSG are deployed in Sui. Therefore, we are already under the siege of forces, he added. Now over 3000 regular forces are being dispatched to Sui and Dera Bugti, he pointed out. 

" Now we are going to be hit in military operation. No one can say who will die and who will stay alive. 

To a question in the context of closure of Sui gas plant he said that the act can be a part of planning made one year back in which it was resolved that ahead of launching of any operation, sui plant will be closed down. Now plant is shut down and preparations of the operation are afoot with full force. 

He rejected the claim as wrong that gas installations were targeted in Sui. Had gas installations been the target then small pipeline would have not been hit instead of 40 to 50 feet high towers and purification and compressor plants, he pleaded. 

The recent incident of Sui is reaction to apathy shown by the government and protection provided by it to the rapists involved in lady doctor Shazia Khalid gang rape case. It has become clear to every one that lady doctor Shazia Khalid was gang raped. One officer of Defence security captain Ammad and his other three officials were involved in the case. High-ranking officers of the company management and one major Mukhtar are also involved in suppressing the matter. 

He alleged that as the rapists are men in uniform therefore, no action was taken against them nor the police and local administration was allowed to initiate any action. Had the rapists been civilians they would have been captured far earlier. Had any Bugti been involved in the case, heaven would have fallen on us, he remarked. 

He was of the view when no action was taken against the rapists then an organization namely Balochistan Liberation Front interfered in the matter. In retaliation the FC and DSG force hit the civilian population with heavy shelling, killing several men and women and children and injuring dozens of people. 

Responding to a question in the perspective of recent warning from the general Pervez Musharraf against Baloch nationalists he said that general Pervez Musharraf had already hit hard Baloch nationalists at several occasions in Quetta, Gwadar and other places and threatened that nationalists would be eliminated. 

He maintained that general Musharraf is a powerful man. He enjoys blessing of US. Several invisible forces are also supporting him. On the other side are the poor and underprivileged Baloch people who are struggling for their legitimate rights. 

Recently President Musharraf has said that the nationalists would be hit in a way that they would not be able to know who hit him and from which side they were targeted. After death no one would be able to know who had killed one and from which direction the killer had targeted. 

He warned that Baloch nation could neither be hit nor eliminated. Paktribune.com 13.01.05