Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (Apnec) termed the brutal and targeted killing of a veteran politician Nawab Akbar Bugti as a national tragedy, which will have far reaching repercussions on the politics of Pakistan.
PFUJ and Apnec, two apex bodies of the newspapers' employees in a joint statement said the tragic death of seasoned politician in an extra-judicial manner was the worst since the controversial execution of former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and the tragedy of East Pakistan.
The executive councils of the two bodies in their meetings early this month in Peshawar had warned the government against the military solution and called for immediate end to army operation in Balochistan and in Waziristan.
They said that when the government knew that Akbar Bugti was hiding in the bunker, as a result of the people arrested (as stated by the Federal Information minister Mohammad Ali Durrani), that made it all the more obligatory on the government not to physically eliminate them. He should have been arrested, tried and be punished, and had his guilts been proved according to law.
When the government resorts to extra-constitutional or extra-judicial steps then the dividing lines between the rulers and the public offenders begin to get very faint. But perhaps the military rulers have not assimilated the bitter lessons of the East Pakistan tragedy.
However, it appeared that the government, headed by President General Musharraf, was determined to eliminate the veteran Baloch leader. The tone of the military ruler set the tone for the ultimate and the entire nation may pay the price, it said.
The PFUJ laments the fact that through this targeted killing, the sanctity of the uniform has been trampled upon as the uniform is something that symbolises state protection to the citizens and the sacred duty of the armed forces to protect their lives, and not their elimination.
The failure of the government not to implement the recommendations of the two committees, which held negotiations with Akbar Bugti, resulted in this tragic incident. Both the committees were satisfied with the talks with Bugti, but the delay in the implementation particularly on the question of provincial autonomy deepened the crisis.
PFUJ and Apnec also expressed concern over the missing of scores of Baloch leaders and workers as well as a Journalist Mehruddin Mari of KTN, who is missing since June 27, and Muniruddin Mengal of private TV channel Baloch Voice.
They said that even the journalists were not free to report truth during the crisis in Balochistan and even the private TV channels including GEO, ARY One World, KTN and others came under pressure and received advises.
They also criticised those newspapers particularly those from Balochistan, who only projected government viewpoint in return of government advertisements and misinformed the people. The two bodies urged upon the government to stop army operation in Balochistan and resolved the issue politically.