Akbar Buktti

 

Nawab Akbar Bugti

How do advisers mislead rulers? 

Nawab Akbar Bugti was always respected in our hearts." He had not only represented the Federation as the Governor of Balochistan, he also served as the Chief Minister of Balochistan. He was one of the prominent politicians of Balochistan who strongly believed in the federation, but then there came a time when the relationship between him and the federation became strained. Among the reasons for this were their demands for royalties on needle gas, permission to keep arms for their own protection, abolition of military outposts especially those near their homes.

During the days when negotiations were going on with Nawab Akbar Bugti, once we went to his house. I was accompanied by Mashhad Hussain Syed, Monis Elahi and female journalist Naseem Zahra. We saw a big hole in his house, which Nawab Akbar Bugti said was caused by the military bombardment and his granddaughter was injured as a result of that bombardment.

According to him, he did not tell this to the public because there was a fear of spreading outrage. Then they demanded the removal of the military post near the house. On our return to Islamabad we spoke to Pervez Musharraf. He ordered to remove the outpost immediately on our request.

Here I am reminded of an old incident. The son of Nawab Akbar Bugti killed. Since Mir Zafarullah Jamali was the Chief Minister of Balochistan in those days, Akbar Bagti also considered him responsible for his son's murder. Akbar Bugti file FIR for his son's murder and vowed to take revenge for his son's murder. Some time after this incident, Mir Zafarullah Jamali also took me with him to Dera Bugti so that he could tell Nawab Bugti that he had no hand in this murder and therefore forgive him. On reaching there, they took me to another room. He asked what should be done with Jamali.

I said it is not their fault. Forgive them. They said, "Okay, I forgive them, but I have one condition." If Jamali is true, show it by walking on burning coals with bare feet. When this matter came to the knowledge of Zafarullah Jamali, he apologized for walking on the burning coals with his bare feet. I come back to the controversy between General Musharraf and Nawab Akbar Bugti. I arranged a direct meeting between General Pervez Musharraf and Nawab Akbar Bugti so that the misunderstandings between the two could be removed.

when the meeting day was supposed to take place, the meeting was suddenly canceled shortly before the scheduled time. Nawab Akbar Bugti later told me that he received a call from President Musharraf's office saying that the plane bringing him had broken down after reaching Dera Bugti, so the meeting was cancelled. Nawab Akbar Bugti said that after half an hour of this call, he saw President Musharraf's plane flying in the air with his own eyes. The plane was returning from Dera Bugti Airbase.

This is about those days when the relations between Akbar Bugti and the government were very bad. One day we were sitting in a routine meeting with President Pervez Musharraf. Director General Military Intelligence General Nadeem Ijaz started telling about Akbar Bugti that he is hiding in the mountains but soon we will find him. I felt that whenever General Ejaz spoke about Akbar Bugti, his tone became very harsh. It was decided that Mushahid Hussain and I would go to General Nadeem Ejaz's house and try to clear his misunderstanding about Nawab Akbar Bugti. We went to General Nadeem Ejaz's house and told him that the government is confronting Akbar Bugti these days, but we should not forget that Akbar Bugti is one of the leaders of Balochistan.Those who have been supporters of federation and compared to nationalists, they have always supported federation. We told General Nadeem that our only request is not to kill Akbar Bugti but to arrest him. After saying this, we came back, but the news of Akbar Bugti's death came the very next day. Naturally, I felt very sorry for him. The day after Nawab Akbar Bugti's murder, President Pervez Musharraf called a meeting in Murree in which, apart from me, the Joint Chief of Staff, DGISI, DGMI and DGIB were also present. General Nadeem Ejaz told President Musharraf in front of all the participants that people in Quetta are very happy about the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti and are distributing sweets.

We are sure that people will not come even to the funeral of Nawab Akbar Bugti. After hearing this, I addressed Brigadier Ijaz Shah and said that now what I have started to say in Punjabi, you should translate it and tell it to General Sahib. Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, a Sufi poet of Punjabi, said that "the enemy dies, do not be happy, sajnaan we die." Hearing this, President Musharraf said that there is no need for translation, he understood the meaning. After that, the discussion started that if a government official should be sent to Nawab Akbar Bugti's funeral, then who should go? On this, President Musharraf said that he will send a representative.Then he suggested my name that Chaudhry Shujaat would attend the funeral of Nawab Akbar Bugti, on which someone present in the meeting said that Mr. President! Why risk the life of Chaudhry Sahib? Therefore, no representative of the government attended the funeral of Nawab Akbar Bugti except the security personnel present there. Guess how ignorant our powerful people are despite getting reports from all sides and just as General Nadeem Ijaz laid the foundation of a big riot for the pleasure of General Musharraf, so what do our people do to keep their boss happy. They lay the foundation of riots. Look at the other extreme that despite reading so much, people like Nawab Akbar Bugti bet that Zafarullah Jamali will walk on burningcoals with bare feet.

Guess that Nadeem Ejaz tells General Musharraf that the people of Quetta are very happy on Bugti's death and are distributing sweets even though the next day there was a strike in the whole of Balochistan, but guess that General Musharraf also believes his words. They used to do it.

Nadeem Ejaz told General Musharraf that the people of Quetta are celebrating the death of Nawab Akbar Bugti. This is a complex case that is connected to one of the most sensitive periods in Pakistan's politics and history.

To understand the reasons for this statement, it is important to consider a few points.

1. Political Propaganda:

These types of statements are sometimes made for political propaganda or to turn the situation in one's favor. The case of Akbar Bugti was a big challenge for the government of Pakistan President General Musharraf. With this, create an impression that the people of Quetta are happy about his death. It may also be that an attempt is being made to justify the actions of General Pervez Musharraf.

2. Ignorance of ground realities.

Sometimes such statements are based on poor reporting of facts or incorrect information.

Nadeem Ejaz said this because he or his sources could not understand public sentiments properly.

3. An attempt to control public reaction

Such statements were made to tone down the reaction in Balochistan after the killing of Nawab Bugti so that any possible public protest or rebellion could be easily suppressed.

4. Personal interests or loyalties

What Nadeem Ejaz said to General Musharraf may be his personal loyalty or an attempt to save his position.


This case is an example of the political situation and power play of the time. However, the reaction that came out in Balochistan after the death of Nawab Bugti clearly shows that the majority of the people were not only angry about the incident but also considered it as cruelty.