Secretary General National Party, Tahir Bizenjo believes that the option to go for drone attacks in Balochistan by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is essentially an attempt by the US government to encircle Iran.
“Drone attacks in Balochistan ostensibly to eradicate the Taliban
leadership based in Quetta will be disastrous, since it will de-stabilise Pakistan,” he said.
“It is essentially an attempt to gain access to neighbouring country Iran, where the Americans are keen to interfere since the ouster of Shah of Iran in 1979,” he said.
In an exclusive interview with TSI, the former senator said drone attacks in Balochistan will be counter productive for the Americans as well since it will heighten anti-American feelings among the people while Taliban would gain sympathy.
“Afghan crisis can’t be resolved through encircling Iran,” he said. “It can be resolved only if India, China, Iran, Russia and Pakistan are taken on board in talks with the Taliban, keeping in view their respective interests in the region,” he said.
Referring to “Balochistan Package” offered by prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani recently, he said it was nothing but a political gimmick.
“It’s a political gimmick. The government has tried to evade major issues,” he said.
“Though slain Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti has been termed as a martyr in the package, the government has announced to form a commission to investigate the murder of Nawab Bugti although everybody knows who was behind the murder,” he said, referring to ex-president Gen (retired) Pervez Musharaf.
“Commissions are formed in Pakistan to put an issue under the rug. Former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto established a commission under justice Hamood-ur-Rahman to investigate about the actors responsible for dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971 but Gen. Yahya Khan was buried with full military honours and he did not spend a single day in jail although he was the main culprit,” he said.
He pointed out that National Party and other nationalist parties in Balochistan suggested that “missing people” should be released and if there was a charge against them they should be tried in a court of law.
“We also suggested that the assassins of Nawab Bugti should be tried in a court of law and everybody knows Musharaf was involved in it. He should also be tried for abrogating the constitution,” he said.
He further pointed out that thousands of people in Marri and Bugti areas have been displaced due to military operation in Balochistan and have been forced to take refuge in Southern Punjab, interior of Sindh and even in Karachi, and they need to be rehabilitated.
“In the second phase, the government could have invited nationalist parties for talks. This did not happen,” he said. “No wonder that National Party and Balochistan National Party (Mengal) have rejected the package,” he said.
“The 27-member committee, led by Senator Raza Rabbani and representing all parliamentary parties was asked to make suggestions ahead of Balochistan Package but the government failed to pay heed to any suggestion,” he said.
“I think the people of Balochistan can still live in a federation provided we make a loose federation confined to foreign policy, currency and defence and all other subjects are handed over to small provinces,” he said.
“The smaller provinces should have rights on their natural and mineral resources. These measures will satisfy the smaller provinces to a great extent,” he said. “The question is whether a centralised federation or strong provinces can strengthen Pakistan,” he said.
He said the 62-year-old history of Pakistan has amply demonstrated that strong centre was not the panacea to keep Pakistan intact. “History shows that centralisation has only generated disharmony, anarchy and friction amongst provinces. As a result, the former East Pakistan opted to become Bangladesh,” he said.
“Bengalis played a major role in the creation of Pakistan but a military operation was initiated against them in 1971 and they were forced to become an independent nation,” he said.
Orissa Assembly over the issues of alleged suicides by farmers and the mining scam last week. With pandemonium continuing, the House was adjourned thrice for ten minutes each.