Akbar Bugti

Sardar Muhammad Amin Khan Khoso With Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto And Nawab Akber Khan Bugti

Nawab Akbar Shahbaz Khan Bugti (Urdu: نواب اکبر شهباز خان بگٹی‎;12 July 1927 – 26 August 2006) was the Tumandar (head) of the Bugti tribe of Baloch people who served as the Minister of State for Interior and Governor of Balochistan Province in Pakistan.^[1]

Bugti was involved in a struggle, at times armed, for greater autonomy for Balochistan. The government of Pakistan accused him of keeping a private militia and leading a guerrilla war against the state. On 26 August 2006, Bugti, along with some personnel of the Pakistan army, was killed when his hide-out cave, located in Kohlu, about 150 miles east of Quetta, collapsed after an explosion set off by a Pakistan Army commander, although the Chief of Army Staff at the time, General Pervez Musharraf, claimed that Akbar Bugti was backed into a corner by the Pakistani Army and decided to blow himself up, instead of facing court for the atrocities he committed against rival tribes.^[2] His death lead to widespread unrest in the area and a surge in discussion, a polarising figure with both supporters and opponents.

Early life and family

Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was born on 12 July 1927 in Barkhan (in present-day Balochistan), the rural home of the Khetran, a Baloch tribe, to which his mother belonged. He was the son of the chief of his tribe, Nawab Mehrab Khan Bugti, and grandson of Sir Shahbaz Khan Bugti. He received his early education from Karachi Grammar School and later from Aitchison College after his father's death. Being the son of the tribe's chief, he became the tumandar (chief) of his tribe after his father. He had thirteen children and forty four grandchildren. His six sons namely, eldest son Nawabzada Saleem akbar bugti Nawab Mir Aali Saleem Akbar Khan Bugti's father), Nawabzada Talal, Nawabzada Rehan, Nawabzada Salal, Nawabzada Jameel, Nawabzada Shahzwar and seven daughters namely, Nawabzadi Dur-E-Shehwar, Nawabzadi Neelo Far, Nawabzadi Naazli, Nawabzadi Durdana, Nawabzadi Dreen, Nawabzadi Shahnaz and Nawabzadi Farah Naz.

Balochistan conflict

Balochistan, the largest province of Pakistan, is abundant in natural resources but due to the lack of the will of federal government the province includes one of the poorest areas in the country. This perceived injustice has led to the Baloch people calling for greater share in resources and more autonomy. Bugti was involved in these struggles, at times armed ones, in Balochistan in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

Increase in tensions in 2005

In 2005, Bugti presented a 15-point agenda to the Pakistan government. Their stated demands included greater control of the province's resources and a moratorium on the construction of military bases. In the meantime, attacks against the Pakistan Army also increased in the area, including a 2005 attack on a helicopter, in which the head of Pakistan's Frontier Corps and his deputy were injured.^[3]

Death

On 24 August 2006, fighting broke out in Kohlu district, Balochistan, when a pair of army helicopters came under fire and one was hit but landed safely, according to a military spokesman. After another helicopter came under fire in the same area, the army moved in.^[4]

On Saturday 26 August 2006, a senior army officer leading the advance set off a mine at the cave entrance, which triggered secondary explosions in the cave, bringing down the entire structure.^[4] The collapse resulted in the death of Bugti, 37 armed fighters and 21 soldiers of the Pakistan Army.^[5] Military sources originally said that Bugti died in a ground and air operation. Officials gave differing accounts of what happened afterwards and denied that security forces meant to kill him.^[6][7]

Aftermath

On 1 September 2006 Bugti was buried in Dera Bugti, with his coffin sealed, next to the graves of his son and brother. His family, who wanted a public funeral in Quetta, did not attend the burial.^[8] Some of family members of Akber Bugti and People from Bugti tribe thinks that the dead-body buried in Dera Bugti was not of Akber Bugti . ^[9]

On 26 September 2010 Abdul Qayyum Khan Jatoi, a senior Pakistan federal minister, criticized and accused the army of killing Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti as well as the Pakistani politician, Benazir Bhutto. He later resigned when his political party summoned him and asked him to explain his comments.^[10]

Investigation and prosecution

On 11 July 2012, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court in Sibi, Balochistan, issued arrest warrants for the former military ruler, Pervez Musharraf and several other high-ranking officials who were accused of involvement in the killing of Akbar Bugti.^[11] The other officials included the former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, former Governor of Balochistan Owais Ahmed Ghani, former Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Mohammad Yousaf, former Provincial Home Minister Shoaib Nosherwani, and former Deputy Commissioner Abdul Samad Lasi. All these were named suspects in the F.I.R. registered by police regarding the killing of Bugti in the military operation.^[11] Musharraf was formally arrested by a police team from Balochistan on 13 June 2013, however was later granted bail due to his poor health and ultimately due to non-provision of evidence.^[12]

See also

• Ataullah Mengal
• Bugti
• Bugti militia
• Balochistan Liberation Army
• Talal Akbar Bugti
• Nawab Mir Aali Saleem Akbar Khan Bugti
• Hyderabad tribunal
• Abdul Nawaz Bugti

References

Notes

• Dawn – Dera Bugti jirga ‘ends Sardari system’
• Dawn – Elders term ‘jirga’ a govt drama
• DAWN – The Tumandar of the Bugtis
• Daily Times – Akbar Bugti killed in army operation
• Dawn – Bugti killed in operation: Six officers among 21 security personnel dead
• Gulf News – Bugti's killing will haunt Musharraf

Further reading

• Matheson, Sylvia A. The Tigers of Balochistan. London: Arthure Barker Limited (1967). Reprint: Oxford University Press, Karachi (1998), ISBN 0-19-577763-8.

External links

• Interview by Qurat ul ain Siddiqui
• Rediff Pakistan – Birth Till Death Nawab Akbar Shahbaz Khan Bugti

Video and audio

• CNN Video Clip CNN Video Report on the Bugti tribe 2001
• BBC Reporters BBC Video Report on Dera Bugti, Balochistan situation 2005
• BBC Reporters BBC Video Report on Dera Bugti, Balochistan situation 2006
• An interview with Brahamdagh Bugti starting orcehstrated separatist movement against Pakistan
• General Musharraf talks to The Washington Post about his view of the rape victims