Bhutto & Bugti- Pakistan's History of State Terror

Bhutto and Bugti- Pakistan’s history of State Terror

There are crime committed that are simply unforgivable in history chronicles. 1919 massacre by British Empire in Jallian wala Bagh Amritsar India, Auschwitz by Nazi Germany, Vietnam by USA and Chechnya by Russians, crimes against humanity by Israel, and Bush Blair War on Iraq will never be forgiven or forgotten

The Killing of Baloch Nationalist leader veteran politician Nawab (title for tribal chieftan) by Pakistan Air force Laser guided missiles and fighter jets brings back the memory of another leader whose brutal execution at the hands of military dictator sparked such instability in Pakistan that it is still to be tranquil almost 30 years after that demonic April night in 1979.

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto belonged to feudal sindhi family, whose father was the prime minister of princely state of Jonagarh in undivided British India, a proverbial silver spoon upbringing and education at Eton ,Oxford and Berkeley , on his return became the youngest and most talented federal minister under Field Marshal Ayub Khan’s military regime, but challenged the dictator resigned and led a popular uprising against military dictatorship, military misadventure followed and Pakistan lost its eastern wing to Indian aggression(read war of independence ) which became independent country Bangladesh.Like every surrender army handed over the power of the remaining West Pakistan to the man of the moment (with90% votes) Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

Bhutto with his slogan “Islam is our religion and Socialism is our economy” started rebuilding Pakistan, Land reforms, labour reforms education reforms were initiated. Bhutto signed peace treaty with India and Bangladesh and freed 95 thousand Pakistani Prisoners of war from Indian jails.Most significantly he coined the idea of Muslim Socialism (more like EU, but not an Islamic super state)

In 1974 hosted a grand summit of Islamic countries with economic and political ties among the Islamic countries improving and gulf countries using oil embargo as a political tool , alarm bells started ringing in Washington DC. Bhutto signed economic treaties with Soviet Union and China for infrastructural projects like Steel Mills, Heavy Mechanical Complex and Karakorum high way. But Bhutto’s biggest crime in American eyes was “Islamic Bomb” the desire to acquire nuclear technology by a Muslim country.

In 1976 after French backed out of reprocessing plant for power generation. Henry Kissinger then American secretary of state threaten Bhutto that “we will make an example for Muslim leaders so that nobody dare to disobey us” Bhutto was overthrown by a military dictator with help and funds from CIA in1977, a case was fabricated against him and was hanged on 4 April 1979.The War in Afghanistan saw the flow of dollars to jehadis and chief among them was general zia ul haq who overthrew Bhutto, his draconian “islamisation” was the model that Taliban later followed in Afghanistan. Sectarian killings, Drugs, Kalashnikovs and private militias became law of the land.

Move the clock forward 30 years, Baloch tribal chief Akbar Bugti aged 79, voiced his anger at rape of a local lady doctor by a army captain, Bugti( classical tribal chief who was oxford educated ) up to that day was brutal collaborative & subservient to Pakistani establishment ( as a former minister and governor)which was looting and plundering the natural recourses ,namely natural gas, copper and gold of balochistan.

But military dictator was eager to defend the honour of the rapist captain against poor balochis , apart from military dictatorship major issue that balochis had was non existence of any benefits from their own land and its rich mineral wealth , dictator musharaf has earlier planned a total colonisation of the deep sea port being built in balochistan by bringing in non locals, gawader port is a major American interest to control gulf waters as well as counter Iranian influence.

Insurgency started by baloch nationalists was termed as treason, American and British turned a blind eye at the human rights abuses by Pakistan army in their war on terror.Chief Bugti was killed on 26th August 2006 (martyr for Baloch Honour, previous baloch leaders fought against Moghals and British for their independence), for demanding legitimate rights of indigenous people, by F-16s, helicopter gunship and laser guided missiles provided by USA to fight the War on Terror.

There are crime committed that are simply unforgivable in history chronicles. 1919 massacre of innocent Sikhs by British Empire in Jallian wala Bagh in Amritsar India, Auschwitz by Nazi Germany, Vietnam by USA and Chechnya by Russians, Brutalities on Palestinians by Israel, Pakistan Army killing Bhutto (the elected prime minister, similar to CIA killing of Patrice Lumumba in Congo) and Bush Blair War on Iraq will never be forgiven or forgottenMusharaf regime has also committed a similar crime by targeting a political opponent (& popular leader) with laser guided missiles. The repercussions of this war on terror by Bush and musharaf will unfold in days and years to come.

Writer contributes freelance to different forums on international relations and social justice, columnist can be contacted onhttp://www.dilnawazinqalabi.blogspot.com