Dera Bugti is counted as one the regions of Balochistan that remains entrenched in poverty and turmoil. A dark chapter was etched into its history when General Pervez Musharraf’s authoritarian rule initiated a violent campaign in Balochistan, disproportionately affecting Dera Bugti and Kohlu. This brutal episode resulted in mass displacement, the tragic phenomenon of enforced disappearances, and the loss of hundreds of lives. Fifteen years have elapsed since the end of that era, with successive governments from the People’s Party, Muslim League-Nawaz, and Tehreek-e-Insaf coming and going. Yet, the plight of Dera Bugti persists, unimproved and bleak.
Recently, the Baloch Liberation Tigers abducted six football players while en route to Sibi from Sui. In response, a large-scale military operation was launched in Dera Bugti. High-ranking officials, including Pakistan Army’s Twelfth Corps Commander Asif Ghafoor and IG Frontier Corps Balochistan, have visited Dera Bugti. Nationalist parties express concerns that their presence may escalate the ongoing military intervention.
This operation has seen numerous houses in Sui Tehsil subjected to search and seizure, with reports of homes set ablaze and residents coerced into migrating. Several areas in Dera Bugti remain under military lockdown, with a growing list of individuals who have disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
Sarfaraz Bugti, Pakistan’s Caretaker Interior Minister, stands accused of employing excessive force against political opponents. The wave of enforced disappearances has surged since the caretaker government assumed power in Balochistan. It is essential to recognize that coercion and oppression will only exacerbate the already precarious situation in Balochistan. Historically, attempts to suppress the Baloch issue through force and tyranny have proven futile. The current situation is no exception; it is likely to breed more problems rather than offering solutions.