| A Baloch General in Pakistan History |
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EX CORPS COMMANDER AND GOVERNOR BALOCHISTAN LT GENERAL ABDUL QADIR BALOCH’S BRAVE AND STRAIGHT FORWARD DISCOURSE ON BALOCHISTAN SITUATION This is with reference to Lt General Baloch’s various eye opening print media clippings and his views expressed on the two TV shows of “Hum TV” recently. Lt Gen (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch is the first and the only ethnic Baloch general of Pakistan army so far. He commanded an infantry brigade in Muzaffarabad and in those days collaborated with Mr Amanullah Khan of JKLF and agencies in the much publicized Line of Control crossing (LOC) attempt. He also remained General Officer Commanding (GOC) at Murree, while commanding troops deployed on LOC in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. He was prematurely retired as Corps Commander Quetta, so as to be appointed as Governor Balochistan. He was also prematurely removed from Governorship of Balochistan; just after six months because a bureaucrat (secretary) in the ministry of petroleum and natural resources refused to upgrade about 100 poor employees of Nawab Akbar Bugti’s tribesmen in Sui gas fields from temporary to permanent salaried status on the recommendation of Governor; by terming it as a BLACKMAIL OF NAWAB AKBAR BUGTI. He was not to draw the pay for himself but was doing it for the poor people of his tribe. Ly Gen (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch has clearly termed Punjab as Pakistan and Pakistan as Punjab. He said that at present there is not a single serving Baloch or Sindhi General in Pakistan Army, who are calling all types of shots in this country of four provinces (He has excluded Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu Kashmir from Pakistan). 90 to 95% generals are Punjabis, 5 to 10% Mohajirs and 5 to 10% Pathans. He refused to be of any help presently to the Govt of Pakistan by saying that the time when he could have controlled the Baloch youth is over now. He classified all the Baloch mujahideens killed so far fighting against Pakistan Army in the last four Balochistan wars and struggle for rights as Shaheeds. He also ascribed Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti as Shaheed, who went up to mountains to resist Punjabi imperialism at an age of eighty years. He gave details as to how the agencies have tried to paint an absolutely wrong picture of Nawab Akbar Bugti. Bugti, who was a man of very high stature and caliber. Nawab Bugti Shaheed even got the Mohajirs and Punjabis settled in Balochistan, to be elected as member Provincial and National assemblies as well as Senate senators from his political party. He was a large hearted man and only resorted to armed struggle when all limits of patience, endurance and fair play were crossed over. His one son was killed by agencies and in the ensuing tribal clash, his people went after those who collaborated with agencies and vice versa. Similarly, Nawab Mengal’s son was killed in mysterious circumstances and so is the case with the Nawab Marri’s family. General Baloch said that Nawab Akbar Bugti was receiving rent money only like all others in Punjab and NWFP, for the gas fields in his private land. He further said that if Sardar Muhammad Akbar Bugti would have liked he could have compromised and lived in luxury and peace without any problem but the people of Balochistan will never forget that he went to the mountains not for his personal rights but to resist for the rights of the subjugated people of Balochistan. Is it not astonishing to note and put it in bracket of stark injustice that after Lahore in Punjab got gas from Sui/ Dera Bugti for warming and cooking, there was no gas in Quetta and Dera Bugti for decades. Similarly from the Mangla dam hydroelectric project in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, the nearby Kotli and other places got electricity after many decades. Similarly, from the River Indus of Bolor, there is no electricity as yet for Bolor from the nearby down stream Tarbela dam. Old West Pakistan is a country governed by the Law of Jungle.
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