Situation in Balochistan war like, people very frustrated with Pakistan: Brahamdagh Bugti

Geneva [Switzerland], Sept. 20 (ANI): Baloch Republican Party chief Brahamdagh Bugti said Tuesday that presently there is a war like situation in Balochistan, as there is a heavy presence of military forces in the region and human rights violations are rampant. "In Balochistan, it is a war like situation. There is a huge presence of military and Frontier Corps (FC) in areas like Quetta. And they pick up people for slightest of political activity," Bugti told ANI. He said that there are no political rights as Baloch political parties can't operate because of the present situation. "Whatever we can do is only through social media or other secure channels. The people there are frustrated and don't want to be a part of Pakistan," he added. "There are just a few people there in the government, that too in fear or because of their greed. Whichever government is formed in Balochistan, there is no opposition party." He said that the strings are pulled from the Centre and that a chief minister is appointed as a mere face. "They appoint the chief minister just to put forward a face and show that everything is fine the government. The ministers in Quetta, including the chief minister himself cannot step out of Quetta, if they do, then only under heavy army security," said Bugti. Reiterating his gratitude towards Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian media to highlight the Balochistan rights issue he said, "It is very encouraging, as now more and more people know about it. The Pak media, its government, the military, intelligence agencies, all are trying to hide the genocide that is going on in Pakistan right now so that no one knows and no one talks about it." He said that media or NGOs are denied access to the region and citing an earlier Human Rights Watch (HRW) report he said, "The HRW report says that human rights violations are being committed in Quetta and that Pakistan army and the FC is involved in it. They have also mentioned in their report that in areas like Dera Bugti were not given access to and that they know the causalities there are higher." He added that the people of Balochistan have long tried to be a part of Pakistan but have always been exploited. "When we were forcibly merged with Pakistan we tried to stay with it and be given equal rights but whenever we talked about our rights, military operations were conducted and our people were killed. This is the fifth military operation and is being done since ten years. Our language is different, culture is different, code of life is different so there is no point that we stay with them forcibly," he said. (ANI)