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ISLAMABAD: The killing of a nationalist rebel in a gas-rich southwestern Pakistani province is likely to inflame an insurgency there but could also galvanise opposition across the political spectrum, analysts said on Monday.
Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, 79, was killed on Saturday when security forces using aircraft and ground troops attacked his cave hideout in remote Baluchistan. A former provincial governor, throughout his long political career Bugti had pressed nationalist demands for greater autonomy for Pakistan’s most thinly populated and poorest province and a bigger share of revenues from the sale of its gas.
His death will be another entry in a long list of Baluch grievances, and far from weakening the insurgency, is likely to bolster it. “This adds a Che Guevara-like figure to the Baluch resistance,” said political commentator Ayaz Amir. “It adds another chapter to Baluch bitterness. The Baluch national movement will be strengthened rather than weakened.” Samina Ahmed, of the International Crisis Group conflict-resolution think-tank, said Bugti’s death will be seen as an attempt by the central government to crush provincial opposition, in a country rife with aspirations for autonomy. “The implications are very serious ... His killing is going to be seen by most Baluch as an attack on Baluchistan itself, yet another attempt by Islamabad to silence all dissent,” Ahmed said.
The government said Bugti had not been targeted but he had been killed when explosives in his cave hideout went off during heavy fighting. But that has been met with cynicism, given the large scale of the military operation against the insurgents, and reports that President Pervez Musharraf described Bugti’s death as a victory and congratulated the military.
Lieutenant-General Asad Durrani, a former chief of Inter-Services Intelligence, said the president had made a mistake by appearing triumphant. “The biggest mistake was when he described Bugti’s death as a great victory. The old wisdom is that you never disrespect a Baluch,” Durrani said. “Every major political party has condemned this killing,” Ahmed said. “This is seen as yet another political leader eliminated and has serious consequences for centre-state relations but also for political stability.”
India reacts
In a surprise break from its past policy of not commenting on the internal affairs of Pakistan, India termed the killing of the Bugti as “unfortunate”. “Military force can never solve political problems,” the foreign office said. In a clear message of sympathy to the people of the province, New Delhi emphasised the need for a “peaceful dialogue” to meet the aspirations of the local community which has for long been at logger-head with the federal authorities. Perhaps keeping in mind the need to kick start the peace process between India and Pakistan and the scheduled meeting of PM Manmohan Singh with President Musharraf in the sidelines of the NAM Summit in Cuba, New Delhi has toned down its statement on Bugti. India is however closely monitoring the situation in Pakistan.
— Seema Guha