The senators on Wednesday cautiously pointed the finger towards the intelligence agencies of the country as they condemned the murder of the wife and daughter of Mir Bakhtiar Domki as brutal, inhumane and contrary to Baloch traditions, with two of them arguing whether the debate in the US Congress committee on the Balochistan issue was justified under the prevailing circumstances in the restive province.
Senator Haji Adeel linked the Balochistan situation to that in Palestine and Kashmir and justified the debate in the US Congress Committee on the Balochistan issue under the prevailing circumstances in the province, saying if the world discussed Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq and Syria, why should it not discuss the Balochistan issue when the province was plagued by human rights violations. He said the establishment had taken the same path that had led to the creation of Bangladesh.
However, Senator Haroon Akhtar said: “How dare they (US) have a meeting on the Balochistan issue and talk about an independent Balochistan?” He said some foreign powers were active in Balochistan and added that no intelligence agency or individual could commit this inhumane and shocking crime. He suggested that as the US was reportedly on the brink of disintegration, the Foreign Relations Committee of parliament should hold a meeting and discuss the possible US disintegration.
It was Senator Shahid Bughti who first put the ‘facts’ before the House as he heard from the sole survivor of the incident, the 15-year-old maid, and rejected the ‘conclusion’ that deaths were the result of an enmity. Senator Shahid Bugti demanded that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani clear his position: either the gruesome incident took place on his wish or he was unable to prevent such incidents. He said some government officials tried to twist the facts and labelled the incident an outcome of an enmity. The killers, he said, had used silenced guns. “It is totally wrong that the killings were the outcome of an enmity… killing of women in even the worst kind of Baloch enmity is out of the question, as society gives respect to the females of the rivals,” he said.
Without mentioning names, Bugti said same elements were involved in the killing of the Domki family members which were also involved in kidnappings in Balochistan.
“Just to cover up, they are now giving another colour to the incident and declaring it the result of an enmity,” he added. He said the incident was a message to specific people.
As Bugti announced a walkout from the House against the killings, the treasury and opposition members joined him but the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) members were in a state of ‘to be or not to be’ when Senate Chairman Farooq Naek sensibly adjourned the proceedings for prayers.
Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said if some powers had already decided to separate Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from the rest of the country, they must let (the other people) know and take them into confidence about their plan. “Is there any law in Balochistan? Are these people above the law? Are they out of the judiciary’s reach?” he asked the government.
Senator Abdul Nabi Bangash said such acts of ‘adventurism’ would lead to further hatred (against the State) amongst Baloch people. “The people who are acting as a state-within-a-state are not friends of the country, they are enemies. The regular army lost half of the country, Kashmir, Siachen and Kargil. These people are snakes in the grass but disguised as defenders of the country,” he said.
Senator Abdul Rahim Mandokhel demanded the government rein in all those involved in such incidents. Senator Hasil Bazinjo said the point to ponder was that what message had been sent through this incident. She was not only the wife of Bakhtiar Domki but also the sister of Brahamdagh Bugti.
Senator Prof Ibrahim said the US should not be allowed to exploit the Balochistan issue as a political tool. About the killing, he said that there was not even a slight difference in the unrest in Balochistan under a democratically elected from former president Pervez Musharraf’s regime. Senator Zahid Khan said East Pakistan separated because of neglect and abuse on the part of West Pakistan and the current situation in Balochistan was not too different.
Senator Mushahidullah Khan said elements of ‘revenge’ seemed to be dominating the incident. He asked the government to extend its reconciliation policy to Balochistan just like it did to other political parties to extend its rule.
Leader of the House Syed Nayyar Bukhari condemned the incident and said the Parliamentary Committee on National Security should examine the incident and discuss the forces that wanted to destabilise the country.
That is most bizarre and ridiculous.
Murders happen in Pakistan as a routine and they happen because people think that they can get away with murder. There has to be a very methodical and systematic forensic investigation with collection of evidence and finding those responsible.
Just to blurt out these accusations against state institutions is most abominable and annoying to any level headed person.
Why can’s these useless senators ask for a crispy clear unbiased investigation, collecting prints and DNA from the site, make sure that the body investigating does the job properly before they say anything!
Besides whether it is a common man or a common man in the street human life needs to be valued.
One could easily say that this senator from Baluchistan should be investigated further. But the government will wet it self soon after getting a phone call from an embassy.
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