Pak former minister blames India for Balochistan troubles

From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Sep 3 (PTI) India has created "an East Pakistanlike situation" in Pakistan’s restive southwestern province ofBalochistan by helping the separatists active in the resource-rich tribal region, former interior minister Rehman Malik hasalleged. Rehman who was minister from 2008-13 in Asif Ali Zardari’sPakistan Peoples Party government told media that India washelping separatists in the province. "I feel that an East Pakistan-like situation is beingcreated in Balochistan as the role of Mukti Bahini is beingplayed by India in collaboration with Afghanistan and dulybacked by the West," he said. Rehman said the role of India in the unrest in Balochistan"is not a hidden story," and the previous PPP government hadtaken up the issue of Balochistan with India. "We had taken up the matter with former Indian homeminister P Chidambaram and he had assured us that they wouldtake notice of it, but later the five-year term of ourgovernment ended and we could not pursue the matter," he said. He said during the tenure of the previous PPP governmenthe had given a five-hour-long briefing to the Senate onBalochistan in which he had provided proof of separatistleader Brahmadagh Bugti’s alleged links with Indian agencies. He also referred to some speeches of Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi, especially those he delivered in Bangladesh andon the occasion of India’s Independence Day, and said thatModi was fanning the flames of fire in Balochistan. He urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take seriousnotice of conspiracies being hatched against Pakistan and takeall necessary steps against elements behind them. Rehman also criticised the US policies towards Pakistanand said that the joint declaration signed between India andthe US in September last year and June this year were attemptsto pressurise Pakistan. PTI SH SUA AKJSUA