World | Pakistan
PM adviser accuses India of supporting insurgency
Pakistan yesterday accused neighbour India of fomenting insurgency in its southwestern Balochistan province by backing a banned militant group calling itself Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
- By Shahid Hussain, Correspondent
- Published: 23:04 April 22, 2009
Islamabad: Pakistan yesterday accused neighbour India of fomenting insurgency in its southwestern Balochistan province by backing a banned militant group calling itself Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
The rare clear-cut accusation against India at a high level was made by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's adviser on interior Rehman Malik in the Senate, the upper house of the parliament.
The mineral-rich province has been long plagued by acts of sabotage involving militants from the ethnic Baloch community, who allege denial of their full economic and political rights.
The recent mysterious murder of three Baloch nationalist leaders at Turbat in the sensitive province triggered days of violent unrest leaving more than a dozen people dead.
"BLA was raised and funded by Russia during Soviet-Afghan war when Pakistan was supporting Afghanis and now India is backing its activities," Malik told the 100-member Senate.
The house earlier held a debate on the situation in Balochistan following the killing of the Baloch leaders.
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