Akbar Bugti’s
Death Exposes Glib Politicians
By Siddique Malik
Louisville, KY
Pakistan’s government is being
pilloried for Akbar Bugti's death which occurred
during a law-enforcement operation in the mountains
of Kohlu in the province of Balochistan, where
the renegade tribal chief had taken refuge. This
reaction by the vested interests to the operation
is not surprising. However, it is unjustified
because Bugti was a fugitive and fugitives generally
die a violent death.
Before I proceed, I must state that Islamabad
handled the matter of Bugti’s body in an
inappropriate manner. Instead of handing over
the body to Bugti’s family, the government
buried it after a forlorn funeral in which not
even the dead man’s sons could participate.
This was done in the name of public order because
according to the government, a public funeral
would have disturbed peace. Now, the selfish politicians
would exploit the issue of the nature of the funeral
more than they could exploit the death itself.
Now, back to the main topic:
Those who think that Akbar Bugti was not a fugitive
should explain why was he hiding in a mountain
cave? It was because not all absconding politicians
are lucky enough to make it to Dubai, Jeddah or
London. Bugti’s brainwashed fighters (whom
he would have killed mercilessly, if they had
refused to obey his selfish, brutal and illegal
commands) were attacking public property like
gas pipelines, electricity transmission networks,
railway tracks, etc. How could someone be instrumental
in these acts of treason and expect to be treated
as a potential party to a fair deal?
Those who are saddened over his death, and are
now set to exploit it politically, must explain
why should a law-breaker be spared the iron-fist
of the law, simply because he claims to be a politician?
Or, do they feel scared because of their own record
of violating various laws?
If Bugti was even slightly concerned about the
welfare of the people, he would not have resisted
successive governments' even meager attempts to
modernize Balochistan. He would not have maintained
private jails, and killed many innocent people
who dared question him.
He was a selfish exploiter of the simple-minded
people and a real tyrant, as are most of Pakistani
politicians. All the previous governments were
afraid of him because he controlled a huge nuisance
factor. I admire the current government for debunking
his myth.
Pakistan’s morally bankrupt and unprincipled
politicians are trying to outperform each other
in lavishing praise over Bugti, calling him a
fighter for provincial autonomy and a champion
of the rights of the people of Balochistan. These
dishonest politicians are bent upon exacting political
capital out of an event in which the law enforcement
agents took a tough stand against a gangster.
Bugti gave a hard time to every government in
Islamabad unless he could strike a deal with it
for his personal aggrandizement. He claimed to
work for the rights of the people, but all he
wanted (and often got) was political relevance,
ability to brutalize his people with impunity,
and fat checks written to his name as Balochistan’s
gas royalty. The moment this equation got disturbed,
Islamabad received a quick curt reminder from
the megalomaniac self-declared “protector”
of the people of Balochistan. But this time, good
for the people, the government decided to call
his hand.
Shame on Nawaz Shariff, Benazir Bhutto and all
the other myopic politicians who see this incident
as an opportunity to deliver a few punches to
the current government simply because it stands
in their way to the corridors of power! It shows
how selfish these politicians are. They would
sell Pakistan to its enemies as long as they could
attain and retain power.
People of Pakistan: Remember all these selfish
faces and names when, next time, you step into
the polling booth; punish them.
I was saddened at the death of those brave soldiers
and law-enforcement agents who died during the
epochal attack on Bugti's hideout. I hope that
their supreme sacrifice will trigger the beginning
of the end of the cancers of feudalism, Sardari
system and selfish politics in Pakistan. They
should be given posthumous awards for bravery
and patriotism, and their families should be protected
physically and financially. Also, those who participated
in the operation and are alive should be awarded
similarly. Pakistan owes them all, immensely.
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