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HRCP fact-finding missions’ report 31
meeting.
The HRCP team was given a counter version by the Bugti tribe. Without going into the details of the
sub-tribe feuds, the team members were told that there are official documents to show that elections have been
contested in Dera Bugti except in exceptional instances. They denied that anyone was abducted by the Bugtis.
On the contrary, they claimed that Ghulam Qadir Masoori himself came to organize a jirga, in Dera Bugti, to
resolve their own infighting. According to them, he was flown to Quetta in March on an FC helicoper to safety
after an army action and on his arrival he denied being kept at Dera Bugti forcibly.
The Kalpar-Bugti enmity dates back to many years. HRCP had taken up the issue of the Kalpars in
June, 1993. It is recorded in the Jehd-i-haq of July, 1993. 11
According to independent sources, the feud turned bloody when, in May 1992, Amir Hamza (Kalpar),
was shot dead in a polling station during elections, while opposing late Salal Bugti (son of the Nawab). The
Kalpar alleged that Salim Bugti, the elder son of the Nawab had abetted the crime. He was declared innocent
during investigation but the main accused was subsequently tried and acquitted. A few days after the murder of
Amir Hamza, the son of Nawab Akbar Bugti was shot down in Quetta. It is widely reported that when Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif went to condole with the Nawab, he was shown a fax sent by the ISI office in Quetta
to their head quarters, predicting that “something big” was about to happen.
HRCP is in no position to dispense justice between the tribes. It has repeatedly urged the government
to ensure that justice is equally applied to all citizens of Pakistan and that justice is made accessible to all
individuals. The writ of the government can only be respected if the system of justice is made effective and
independent. The ready use of violence does not ensure the writ of any civilized government. HRCP, also finds
the government’s methods of exploiting intra-tribal rivalries distressing. A number of lawyers, including the
lawyer engaged in the murder case of Salal Bugti, confirmed that three accused persons, tried in absentia, are
now openly holding press conference, arranged by government functionaries, and covered in the media. 12
The Town of Dera Bugti
Account of the Frontier Corps
The team from HRCP was graciously received and briefed by Col Furqan, head of the FC in Dera
Bugti. The Colonel showed the empties of rocket launchers, shells and other ammunition used by Bugti militants
against the FC. He also gave his version of the events of March 17 th in Dera Bugti.
Colonel Furqan told the team he did not know the number of civilian casualties.
He complained of land mines laid by Bugti militants. Four vehicles of the FC were destroyed, in the last
eight days, by explosion of the mines. He was grieved that 13 FC were killed since July 2004, and in total 104
had lost their lives since 1977 during the present conflict or past standoffs between the Bugti tribesmen and the
FC. He did admit, however, that between mid April to end June, not a single incident took place, because of
Shujaat-Mushahid intervention. According to his version, the hostilities restarted, after June 2005, because of
an incident of explosion of a land mine near Pekal, resulting in the amputation of the leg of a soldier. Although,
the Bugtis denied responsibility, yet, according to Colonel Furqan, the FC took positions to defend itself. The
Bugti tribesmen insist that the incident was an excuse for the FC to renew hostilities. They deny involvement in
laying mines in Pekal.
At the FC headquarters, the team met a couple with an injured child. The mother explained that the
child was injured during crossfire between the two sides. The Colonel was also kind enough to present the
team with an audio tape and transcript of a speech allegedly made by Nawab Akbar Bugti, although it was