Akbar Bugti
Akbar Shahbaz Khan Bugti was a Pakistani politician and the Tumandar of the Bugti tribe of Baloch people who served as the Minister of State for Interior and Governor of [Balochistan, Pakistan|Governor] of Balochistan Province in Pakistan. He also became minister of state for defence in the cabinet of Feroz Khan Noon.
He was involved in a struggle, at times armed, for greater autonomy for Baluchistan. The Government of Pakistan under Pervez Musharraf however accused him of keeping a private militia and leading a guerrilla war against the state. According to many historians, Akbar Bugti was never in the forefront of Baloch nationalism, when compared to other Baloch leaders like Khair Bakhsh Marri or Ataullah Mengal. He remained primarily a Bugti, fighting for his own tribe, and in particular his sub tribe.
On 26 August 2006, Bugti was assassinated in Kohlu, about 150 miles east of Quetta.
In July 2012, an anti-terrorism court in Balochistan, issued an arrest warrants for Pervez Musharraf and several other high-ranking officials who were accused of involvement in the assassination of Bugti.
Early life
Akbar Shahbaz Khan Bugti was born on 12 July 1926 in Dera Bugti. He was the son of the chief of his tribe, Mehrab Khan Bugti, and grandson of Sir Shahbaz Khan Bugti. He received his early education from Karachi Grammar School and later from Aitchison College after his father's death. He went on to attend the University of Oxford. Being the son of the tribe's chief, he became the tumandar of his tribe after his father.2005-2006 Standoff
In 2005, Bugti presented a 15-point agenda to the Pakistan government. The stated demands included greater control of the province's resources and a moratorium on the construction of military bases. In the meantime, attacks by militants against the Pakistan Army also increased in the area, including a 2005 attack on a helicopter, in which the commander of Pakistan's Frontier Corps was injured.In March 2006, a bus carrying a wedding party hit an anti-tank mine in Dera Bugti. The blast resulted in the death of 28 people, mostly women and children, and injured 7 others. Most of the victims belonged to Bugti tribe which had revolted against Akbar Bugti's rule. Abdul Samad Lasi, a district chief, claimed that militants under the command of Bugti had planted hundreds of tank mine on dirt roads in various parts of Dera Bugti. He added that the aim of planting such mines was to target the security forces in the area.
Assassination
On 26 August 2006, Akbar Bugti was assassinated in Kohlu, about 150 miles east of Quetta. According to news reports, Bugti was among those killed during intense crossfire between security forces and Bugti's militia, resulting in the deaths of 21 soldiers and approximately 60 militia members,Inter-Services Public Relations, claimed that the soldiers found a nine-foot-wide mouth of the L-shape cave near Dera Bugti. ISPR Director General stated that soldiers were then sent in to apprehend Bugti. However once the soldiers had entered the cave, a "blast of undetermined origin" took place. The blast brought down the cave, killing all occupants in the process including the soldiers. The Director General said that no fighting or use of explosives preceded the "mysterious" blast which resulted in its collapse. He also said that around 100 million Rupees and $96,000 cash, two satellite phones, documents, eight AK-47 rifles and some rockets were found in the rubble of the cave.
Later on, the Pakistan military took media teams to the cave where Akbar Bugti was killed. Pakistani army engineers cleared the rubble of the cave to retrieve the bodies of Akbar Bugti and others who were killed inside the cave.
On 31 August 2006, the body of Akbar Bugti was found. He was identified by his glasses and Rolex wristwatch which he was known to wear. His glasses, walking stick and Rolex were presented to the journalists.
Brahamdagh Bugti's claims
Brahamdagh Bugti alleged that Balach Marri was behind the assassination. He claimed that the cave in which Akbar Bugti was hiding came down due to a blast by a remote-controlled device, and Balach Marri was standing just outside the cave at that time. Marri had been the leader of Baloch Liberation Army at that time.Aftermath
On 1 September 2006, Bugti was buried in Dera Bugti, with his coffin sealed, next to the graves of his son and brother. His family, who wanted a public funeral in Quetta, did not attend the burial.Some of family members of Akbar Bugti and people from Bugti tribe think that the dead-body buried in Dera Bugti was not that of Akbar Bugti.
On 26 September 2010, Abdul Qayyum Khan Jatoi, a senior Pakistan federal minister, criticized and accused the army of killing Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti as well as the Pakistani politician, Benazir Bhutto. He later resigned when his political party summoned him and asked him to explain his comments.
Investigation and prosecution
On 11 July 2012, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court in Sibi, Balochistan, issued arrest warrants for the former military ruler Pervez Musharraf and several other high-ranking officials who were accused of involvement in the killing of Akbar Bugti. The other officials included the former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, former Governor of Balochistan Owais Ahmed Ghani, former Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Mohammad Yousaf, former Provincial Home Minister Shoaib Nosherwani, and former Deputy Commissioner Abdul Samad Lasi. All of them were named suspects in the First information report registered by Balochistan Police regarding the killing of Bugti in the military operation. Musharraf was arrested by the Balochistan Police on 13 June 2013, but was later granted bail due to his poor health.Personal life
Akbar Bugti had three wives and was the father of thirteen children, including six sons and seven daughters.From his first marriage, his sons were Saleem Bugti, Talal Bugti, Rehan Bugti and Salal Bugti. Salal Bugti was murdered in a shootout in Quetta by the rival Bugti sub clan in June 1996. He also had five daughters, Durr-e-Shahwar, Nilofer, Nazli, Durdana, and Zareen.
From his second marriage, he had one son, Jamil Bugti, and two daughters, Shahnaz Marri and Farah Naz Bugti. Shahnaz Marri was the wife of Nawabzada Humayun Khan Marri, the grandson of Meharullah Khan Marri. Farah Naz Bugti was the wife of Bivragh Bugti, the son of Nawabzada Ahmad Nawaz Bugti.
From his third marriage, he had one son, Shahzwar Bugti.
Jamil Bugti and Shahzwar Bugti are the surviving sons of Akbar Bugti.
Bugti's grandchildren include Mohammad Mir Aali Bugti, Mohammad Mir Zong Bugti, Mohammad Mir Taleh Bugti, Mohammad Mir Zamran Bugti, Mohammad Mir Kohmir Bugti, Brahumdagh Bugti, as well as Shahzain Bugti, Gohram Bugti and Mir Chakar, the sons of Talal Bugti. He also had two grand daughters.