BLA appeals the Baloch people to boycott the elections

In order to hurt Pakistan economically, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) targets its electricity installations, the outfit said in an eight-page pamphlet that was distributed Sunday during a Baloch Solidarity Committee 500-strong rally on the first death anniversary of Baloch Nawab Akbar Bugti.

The rally was attended by seven groups – Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, Baloch Students Organisation, Baloch Rights Council, Jamhoori Watan Party, Baloch National Movement, Baloch National Party. It took place in Chakiwara’s Baloch Chowk, a predominantly Baloch neighbourhood in Lyari Town.

A BLA video recording in Barahavi language on DVD was converted into the Urdu pamphlet that was distributed by the Baloch Solidarity Committee. Speeches were made in Barahavi by Sangat Sana Baloch, Khalil Baloch, Agha Abid Shah, Abdul Wahab Baloch, Abdul Hameed Sajna, Shehzada Zafar Jan, Khwaja Abdul Qadir Qalandariani. Bugti’s grandson, Khwaja Murtaza Bugti, was a member of the audience. He did not address the crowd. The BLA itself is a banned organization.

The people who turned up for the rally were mostly students who loudly shouted anti-Pakistan statements.

“The people of Balochistan should not think that when we target power installations it is meant to be against them,” the pamphlet said. “We can destroy all of Pakistan’s electricity installations.” The BLA also said that it was monitoring the young Baloch who wanted to join the BLA. “We are constantly testing them,” the paper said, adding that the outfit brought the right ones into the fold on its own. As for the media, the BLA said that all television channels are being used for the enemy’s advantage. “The tide will turn and then these [channels] will be held accountable.” The BLA appealed to the Baloch people to boycott the elections.