Former Army Chief and President Pervez Musharraf, who had launched a deadly military operation against Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti in Balochistan during his reign is still in favor of using force in the violence-hit province.
Musharraf, now head of All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), told his audience at the main campus of FAST University, in a video conference address on the eve of Defense Day, that the present Pakistan People’s Party led coalition government should use force to eradicate the separatist movement in Balochistan.
Attributing lingering violence in the province to foreign hands, the former military chief claimed that the Baloch Liberation Army was playing in the hands of anti-Pakistan elements who wanted to destabilize the country.
He suggested that if the government resorted to use of force for six months only, Balochistan would become a better place.
The former president said that in his tenure, huge sums of money had been invested on the long-neglected province as compared to Punjab, and yet no development was carried out there.
On the subject of US drone attacks in Pakistan’s tribal areas, he said that the government should try and negotiate, to stop the assault if it was not able to stop the same through use of force.
Musharraf for use of force in Balochistan
