Rebellion not confined to sardars

The Balochistan National Party (BNP) has said that the rebellion in Balochistan is widespread and not confined to a few tribal chieftians.

The Balochistan National Party (BNP) has joined issue with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf over the nature and extent of rebellion in the province saying that it was a widespread popular movement, not confined to a few tribal chieftains.

HT Image

Musharraf had said last month that the rebellion was the handiwork of "two or three sardars" and that he would be "sort them out".

However, Akhtar Mengal, the head of the BNP, maintained that the whole of Balochistan, and not only the sardars, was the target of the government's operation. It was meant to "capture" Balochistan's natural resources, Daily Times reported.

Commenting on Musharraf's "apology" over previous governments' "atrocities" against the people of Balochistan, Mengal said that it was "astonishing that Musharraf is apologising for minor atrocities while he has launched a major operation in the province".