The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), an armed “pro-independence” group, claimed responsibility for the attack on National Party politician Mullah Barkat in Turbat, calling him a “death squad leader.” The BLF said that the bulletproof vehicle gifted to him by the Pakistani state saved his life this time, but he won’t roam safely for long.
Hailing from the Zikri community of Hoshaap, Mullah Barkat is a prominent politician from the National Party. He was attacked on Friday in Turbat, the central city of Kech when unidentified assailants opened fire on his vehicle. Barkat remained unscathed, but his bulletproof vehicle was riddled with bullets.
The Balochistan Liberation Front claimed responsibility for the attack on Barkat in a recent media statement, calling him a “death squad leader.” The BLF said that the Pakistani state takes advantage of the weaknesses in the so-called parliamentary parties active in Balochistan. The state plants its “agents” in these parties with the mission of impeding the Baloch national struggle. Mullah Barkat is one such state-backed individual, BLF implied.
The BLF said that it depends on these parliamentary parties whether they denounce such state-backed individuals publicly and distance themselves from them, or if they accept the state’s narrative of events, label the Baloch freedom fighters “terrorists” and work to oppose their struggle. Whatever the choice, the Baloch “pro-independence” parties will continue to eliminate such individuals whether they live among the population in a religious semblance or if they assimilate themselves in any political party, the BLF concluded.
Contradicting BLF’s allegations, Mullah Barkat has said that labelling him as a “death squad leader” is simply “ludicrous.” In a press conference at his residence, Barkat said that I am a follower of the political ideology of Ghous Baksh Bizenjo. He said that people might have political differences with me, but calling me a death squad leader is “ludicrous.”
Barkat said that an armed group has attacked me and associated me with a death squad, which is highly condemnable. He said if these armed groups play this role in society, then we think that they have intentions beyond the Baloch national struggle. By this comment, he implied that the Baloch “pro-independence” groups are fighting for personal gains, and not for the rights of the Baloch nation.
It should be mentioned that the Core Commander Balochistan Lieutenant General Sarfaraz Ali and IG FC Balochistan (South) paid a visit to Mullah Barkat at his residence to check on him.
The National Party, Barkat’s affiliated political party, also condemned the attack in a media statement, saying that the party will not waiver from its political ideology. The party spokesperson said that they consider it’s their primary duty to protect the party members. The National Party announced Balochistan-wide protests, rallies and demonstrations against the attack on Mullah Barkat.
They said that the government must investigate the incident and bring the “terrorists” behind the attack to justice.