Pak Army mercilessly oppressing Bugti tribe: HRCP

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has appealed to parliamentarians to urgently take up the issue of the victimisation and merciless oppression of inhabitants of the Dera Bugti area by the Pakistan Army.

Lahore, Aug 18 : The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has appealed to parliamentarians to urgently take up the issue of the victimisation and "merciless oppression" of inhabitants of the Dera Bugti area by the Pakistan Army.

HRCP Chairperson Asma Jehangir said thousands of innocent people of the Bugti tribe are being victimised daily by security forces stationed in the area.

Recently, around 500 men, women and children walked for hours to reach Gulshan-e-Ghazia in Karachi from Sangsilla Town in the Bugti area and related their plight to the HRCP, she said.

They spoke of children dying of hunger, people being shot dead and kidnappings being carried out by rival locals under the protection of the Frontier Constabulary (FC).

"HRCP continues to receive harrowing reports of merciless oppression against members of the Bugti tribe suspected of retaining any sympathy towards their late leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti," Jehangir added.

The HRCP reminded the Musharraf regime that it justified its army operation in the Dera Bugti on the plea that ordinary Bugti were greatly disadvantaged, and according to them exploited by their tribal leaders.

But now it is clear that the government's real intention was to persecute the tribes belonging to the Akbar Bugti faction," said a HRCP statement.

The human rights body also urged parliamentarians to visit the people of Dera Bugti, and to raise the issue in Parliament.

Strangers entering the area, including other Balochis and journalists, are being turned back by security forces, the Daily Times reported.

ANI