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Intervention". Dr. Wahid Baloch
Capitol Hill Demonstration against the Extra
Judicial Target assassination of Baloch
Nationalist Leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti:
WASHINGTON DC: A peaceful demonstration against the Extra
Judicial Target assissination of Baloch Nationalist Leader Nawab
Akbar Khan Bugti in Balochistan was held in front of The Capitol Hill
on September 08, 2006 by World Sindhi Institute, Balochistan
National Party, Jamhoori Watan Party, Pakistan Peoples Party, World
Human Rights International, World Baloch Jewish Alliance and other organizations and think tank individuals. The
demonstrators were chanting slogan:
- Down with Musharrf,
- Down with Pakistani army
- Stop military Operation in Balochistan
- Stop Genocide of Baloch Nation
- Pakistani military out of Balochistan
- Killing Fields of Pakistan - Sindh and Balochistan
- Long live Baloch-Sindhi unity
The protesters were carrying and displaying many banners and cardboard placards, which stated:
- LONG LIVE BALOCH STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM
- END THE OCCUPATION IN BALOCHISTAN
- End Military Rule in Pakistan
- Stop State Terrorism in Sindh and Balochistan
- A Human Killed is Humanity Killed
- All Unite Against Bugti's Killers
- Down with Musharraf, Down with Pakistan Army
- Stop Military Operation in Balochistan
- Stop Control of Baloch People's Resources
- No Military Cantonments in Balochistan
- How many more Sindhis and Baloch must die of torture?
- Killing Fields of Pakistan - Sindh and Balochistan
- Stop the Human Rights Violations in Balochistan
- ISI Equals Al-Qaeda
- End Mullah Military Alliance [MMA] Now
- No to Terrorism, Extremism and Fundamentalism
- Yes to Freedom, Democracy and Secularism
- Why is U.S. Supporting Military Mullahs of Pakistan?
- No More [Army] Boots in Pakistan
- People with no democracy value democracy the most.
- We want Peace and Democracy in Sindh and Balochistan
Speakers - who delivered informative, educational and thought-provoking speeches at the Washington protest rally -
included WSI leader Mr. Munawar Laghari, BSO-NA President Dr. Wahid Baloch, Balochistan Assembly former
Speaker and President of Baloch International League (for Peace and Freedom) Mr. Waheed Baloch, PPP
Washington activist Dr. Amjad Riar, PPP Balochistan and World Baloch Jewish Alliance activist Mohammad Ali
Baloch, human rights activist Dr. Malek Towghi, Balochistan's Hindu community activist Dr. Tara Chand, women's
rights activist Ms. Tasleem Azhar and Think-Tank for National Self-Determination (TNS) Executive Director Dr. Walt
Landry, an ex-U.S. State Department official.
Speaking at the rally, BSO-NA president Dr. Wahid Baloch condemned the extra judicial target assassination of
Baloch Nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, who was murdered by Pakistani military in a massive air raid
on August 26th 2006, using F-16 jets and gunship helicopters, dropping thousand tons of bombs, cluster and other
chemical weapon on his hideout in the remote mountains of Dera Bugti in Balochistan. His mountain hide out was
located by intercepting his cell phone with the help of Chinese listening equipments. "Baloch Society of North
America Strongly condemns this shameful act of Pakistani State terrorism against our leader and ask the
international community for immediate intervention and investigation of Pakistani crimes against our Baloch Nation.
These targeted crimes have been going on Baloch of both sides of border by the Governments of two religious
fundamentalist states – Iran and Pakistan." Dr. Wahid Said.
"On one side Pakistani military dictators are shaking hands with Taliban and Al-qaida Terrorists and on the other
hand they and killing and torturing ordinary innocent Baloch and Sindhi people in their own homeland. The military
equipment that was given by our US Govt to track and kill Alqaeda and Taliban Terrorists are being used against the
Baloch leaders in Balochistan. I ask our president George W. Bush and the American lawmakers, "how long we will
be fooled by Pakistani dictators who claim to be our ally in the war of terror but are the terror themselves". They are
sending terrorists in India and in Afghanistan to terrorize people and kill the American and NATO peace keeping
troops. "are we with the terrorist or with the Baloch freedom fighters"? he asked president Bush."Prevez Musharraf
is not our ally Mr. President. He is a terrorist who’s hands are painted with the blood of innocent Baloch and Sindhi
people and of American troops. He must be brought to justice. It is time for a realistic American foreign policing in
south Asia. The US and world community must not be fooled by Pakistani military dictators and terrorists anymore, "
he said,
"Since last year, thousands of Baloch have died due to intensive Pakistani bombing in Dera Bugti and Kholu. More
than 6000 Baloch are behind bars and many are missing. More than 300,000 Marri and Bugti Baloch have fled their
homes from Dera Bugti and kholu and are living under harsh conditions without any food or shelter, water or
medicine" Dr. Wahid said. Balochistan has been turned into a ‘mega-prison’ by Pakistani military and the Baloch
people are living in fear and in hopelessness. They are calling upon the international community for help and
immediate intervention. " We ask the international community to take notice of these gross human right violations
and genocide of Baloch Nation in both occupied Balochistan. The illegal Occupation of our land Balochistan by Iran
and Pakistan must end. We demand immediate international intervention. International intervention in Balochistan
is long overdue and cannot and must not be delayed or put away anymore in order to save the lives of Baloch
people. Yes, Baloch Nation demands International intervention NOW", he concluded.
Mr. Malik Toghi, Chairman of ‘Baloch Human Rights International’, a non-profit organization from Michigan State
expressed concern over the present situation where America is supporting the military regime in Pakistan by
providing them with all required weapons, arms and highly sensitive intelligence equipments, but does not stop
them from using these weapons against their own elected and tribal leaders, instead of capturing the Alqaeda
leadership, which was the actual purpose of these equipments. On the other hand, General Pervez Musharraf, the
military dictator of Pakistan, is cheating the U.S. administration by pretending to look for terrorists and obtaining
huge sums of money and perks instead. “The basic issue”, he said, “is a dilemma of American Foreign Policy. By
losing focus from the primary commitment to stabilize Afghanistan, there have been better grounds available for
Alqaeda to grow stronger. They enjoy discreet protection and support from Pakistani Military and M.Q.M. (Mutaheda
Qaumi Mahaz) political party in Pakistan. All the nationalist parties and two major political parties are all united now
against this alliance, which the U.S. should be aware of. It is in the national interest of the U.S. to stop supporting
military regime in Pakistan”.
Dr. Amjad Riar of Pakistan Peoples Party, Washington DC expressed that the killing of Chief of Jamhoori Watan
Party, Nawab Muhammad Akbar Khan Bugti at the hands of the law enforcing agencies is a blow to the unity and
integrity of the Federation. His killing would further alienate the people of Balochistan from the Center. Today
Pakistan faces a crisis of governance, with a politicized military, an undermined judiciary. Army intervention in
Pakistan’s politics has created the unfortunate situation where Pakistan’s army is responsible for killing more
Pakistanis blaming them as enemies, than it has eliminated foreign troops during wars.
On behalf of Pakistan Peoples Party, he then called for a bi-partisan parliamentary inquiry into the operation which
culminated in the death of Nawab Akbar Bugti, restoration of the Constitution as it existed before the 1999 military
coup, release of protestors expressing grief over the incident, handing over of the dead body of Nawab Akbar Bugti
to his family for burial in accordance with their traditions, an end to military operations in Balochistan, a political
solution to the alienation of the Baloch people in particular and people of Pakistan in general and fair elections,
political process and return of military back to the barracks. He ended by saying, “The consequences of Nawab
Bugti`s assassination are likely to be monumental. Pakistan is in calamitous need of Democracy and political
process today then ever before”.
Dr. Tara Chand, Central Secretary General of ‘Baloch International League for Peace and Freedom” and former
Provincial Minister of Balochistan had come from Florida to participate in the demonstration. After condemning the
murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti and thousands of other Baloch people by Pakistan military, he stressed on the basic
issue of the attitude of Federal Government, which conveys to the Baloch people through acts and words that they
do not have a right to demand any thing for themselves. Thus a feeling is developed among them that Pakistan is
not their own country. Now, after this unfortunate incidence, he said, “we definitely know that Pakistan is really no
more our country. We will struggle for our rights and the freedom of our mother land. We also ask the rest of the
world to raise their voice with us for our right to self determination.
Mr. Mohammad Ali Baloch from Philadelphia represented the World Baloch Jewish Alliance and Pakistan People s
Party. He gave an account of similar military operations carried out in Balochistan in past. He called it a part of the
same series of operations that the Pakistan military has performed repeatedly in 1948, 1966 to 67, 1973 to 77, and
again in the last few year to date. Although in 1947, Balochistan, volunteered to be with Pakistan then why are the
Baloch people always being threatened and tortured through military operations? In the end he appealed to the U.S.
and the world community to intervene and help in ending these series of military operations in Balochistan.
Mr. Walter Lendry, Chairman ‘Think-tank for National Self-determination, Inc.’ (TNS) urged the U.S. Government to
support through acts and speeches, the right to self determination for all people in the world, including the Baloch
and Sindhi. He gave a background of the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which the U.S. ratified in 1992.
He tried to enunciate the principle that after ratifying the covenant, it is an obligation of the U.S. Government to have a
foreign relations policy based on supporting self determination of all. This incidence of a Baloch leader’s murder
should compel USA to make sure that support to Pakistan Government in form of arms is not directed towards her
own people, who are struggling for a just cause and a right that is legally and morally acknowledged by all
signatories of the United Nations Covenant on Right to Self Determination.
Mr. Waheed Baloch, Chairman of ‘Baloch International League for Peace and Freedom’ and former Speaker of
Balochistan Provincial Assembly spoke about the nature of the Baloch struggle against attempts of Pakistan Military
to forcefully curb their identity, their national spirit and control their resources for building the country without due
compensation. This mal treatment and the repeated incidences of military operations in the province has resulted
in an absolute loss of trust on Pakistan government. Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti’s assassination, according to him is
a part of the same series of killings, where by most Baloch leaders have been either killed or have disappeared.
Ms. Tasleem Mazhar from Hyderabad, Sindh assured the participants of support on behalf of all Sindhi people, as
she said the Baloch and Sindhi cause are not much different from each other. We have to unite against the
atrocities and struggle against any and every military regime in Pakistan, because this is absolutely against the
principles of Democracy, which we aspire for our region.
Mrs. Razia Rabb, Chairperson Women’s Wing, Jamhoori Watan Party also sent a message in absentia to the
Demonstrators, in which she said, "Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti's death is such a huge loss for the whole region that
we can not acknowledge its magnitude now. Only 'time' will tell how much we have lost and how much we all will
lose by not having Nawab Bugti's brave & strong support at our back. It is after years that the world will realize who
was 'good' and who was 'evil' in this war between Pakistan Military and the Baloch people".
Congressman Tom Tancredo sent a message through his staff to encourage the rally by expressing that, “I oppose
authoritarian regimes, wherever they might be. I am gravely concerned about the persecution of political dissidents
in Pakistan I am even more troubled that this administration has not brought sufficient pressure to bear on the
government there to stop these practices.” He further wrote, “It is true that the United States needs Pakistan’s
cooperation in the war against terrorism – but that does not mean we should stand by and condone the government
of Pakistan’s campaign to intimidate or kill opposition leaders like Nawab Akbar Bugti – who was at one time
democratically elected and still dedicated to free and fair elections.” He also expressed that, “I believe that your fight
for democracy and equality in a region rocked by turmoil and terrorism is a just one.” His message concluded by
these words, “I wish you luck in your cause and assure you that as a staunch supporter of human rights and
democracy, I will continue to do what I can to assist you.”
Mr. Munawar Laghari, Executive Director of World Sindhi Institute thanked all the participants for their heart-felt
support and expressed a sense of unity with all marginalized and oppressed groups of Pakistan who have to face
atrocities and human rights violations, including torture, disappearances and killings on daily basis at the hands of
a military dictatorship. He urged all oppressed Baloch, Sindhi, Saraiki, Pashtun, and Punjabi people not to lose
nerves and hopes in their just and legal demand for peace and democracy in Pakistan.
