No progress in Bugti Murder case yet

By Bari Baloch

QUETTA: Despite lapse of two months, no progress has been made by police regarding investigation of assassination of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, who was martyred in a military operation in Balochistan in 2006.

Family members of slain Baloch leader wanted to register the case against former President General (r) Pervez Musharraf and others but they could not do so till the end of government of Pervez Musharraf because of many hurdles.

When Nawab Bugti was killed, his relatives had addressed a press conference and they had demanded in that press conference that case of his murder should be registered against persons who were at helm of affairs in previous regime.

When Pervez Musharraf tendered resignation, Nawabzada Talal Akbar Bugti reached to City Police Station in Quetta soon after his resignation and handed over an application to SHO of the police station for registration of murder case while his another son Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti had submitted an application to police authorities in Sibi.

Police authorities both in Quetta and Sibi did not take any action and returned the applications.

At last Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti knocked the doors of judiciary after removal of PCO judges following historic decision of Supreme Court of Pakistan on July, 31st, 2009 and Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti filed a petition in Balochistan High Court.

BHC approved the application of Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti and ordered for registration of case of murder.

Dera Bugti police registered the case against former President Pervez Musharraf, Former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and other personalities of previous government including Aftab Sherpao, Jam Muhammad Yousuf and Shohaib Nosherwani.

After registration of case, police constituted a committee for investigation of the case but so far they have not taken any practical steps for investigation and arrest of accused.

Police authorities have shifted the responsibility on family members of Nawab Bugti and they are saying that family members of slain Baloch leader are not cooperating with police therefore so far no progress has been made.

“We have asked the family members of Nawab Bugti for identification of place where his murder was taken place” said DIG Sibi Range while talking to newsmen in Dera Allahyar few days back.

However, family members of Nawab Bugti allege that police was under immense pressure from real circles of power; therefore, so far no progress has been made regarding investigation.

Lawyer of Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti, Mr. Sohail Rajpoot in an interview said that SHO of Dera Bugti had come to his office and requested him for submission of an application to IG Police Balochistan for shifting of the case from Dera Bugti Police to Crimes Branch Police.

“This shows that police is not serious to carryout the investigation” he added.

He termed the new promise for investigation into assassination of Nawab Bugti in Aghaz-e-Haqooq Balochistan Package an effort to put the matter into cold storage.

He said that after registration of murder case there was no need for formation of another judicial commission.

“A commission is formed when accused are not known”, he said, and adding that that if government was serious then it should take action against the persons who had been nominated in the FIR.

While Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti has said that government was not serious to take action against the people who were involved in killing of his father.

He said that if government authorities are facing difficulties in arrest of those accused who are in abroad at least they should take action against those who are in Pakistan.