Quetta, Jan. 5 : Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has said that resolution of the Balochistan issue is interlinked with the punishment for the murderers of Baloch leader Akbar Bugti and the immediate “release” of all missing citizens.

The Daily Times quoted Sharif as saying that Pervez Musharraf had killed Nawab Bugti “out of personal grudge and frustration... otherwise Bugti was a patriotic Pakistani who adhered to the constitution of Pakistan throughout his life”.

Quetta (Balochistan), Dec. 10 : Baloch leaders have rejected the provincial government’s decision to withdraw nearly 89 cases against various nationalist leaders, terming it as a ‘cosmetic effort’ by the government to pacify the annoyed leaders.

It may be noted that Chief Minister Aslam Raisani had directed the authorities to withdraw cases pending against various Baloch leaders, including Brahamdagh Bugti, Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Jamil Bugti.

Quetta, Dec. 8 : Blaming the United States for the creating anarchy in the country, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Syed Munawar Hassan has said that America is working to declare Pakistan’s nuclear establishments unsafe.

Replying to questions during a press conference, Hassan said Washington was trying to destabilise Pakistan through the notorious private security firm, Blackwater.

Quetta (Balochistan), Nov. 17 : At least two persons were killed and six others, including Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations (OPS) received injuries when a powerful bomb blast ripped through the Spinny road area of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, on Tuesday morning.

According to television reports, DIG Nizam Shahid Durrani and his driver were also hurt in the blast which occurred just outside his office.

Eyewitnesses said the bomb was planted in a motorcycle parked outside the DIG office building, and exploded just when the Durrani was passing by.

Quetta (Balochistan), Nov. 8 : At least 17 people, including a student and security personnel were injured in two separate grenade attacks in different parts of Quetta, the capital of the insurgency hit Balochistan province.

According eyewitnesses, unidentified miscreants hurled hand grenades at the Government Girls’ High School located at Mannu Jan Road during school hours. The grenades landed on the rooftop of the school, injuring two teachers besides wounding a student.

The second attack took place at Meezan Chowk, a busy intersection of the city.

Quetta (Pakistan), Nov. 4 : Iran has closed down its border with Pakistan in the Taftan area of Balochistan, which has affected thousands of daily labourers in the region.

According to sources, over 25,000 daily wage earners have been affected adversely by the closure of the ‘zero point’ between both the countries.

Prices of petroleum products have increased suddenly in the region by over 20 to 25 rupees per litre, The News reports.

Quetta, Sep 10: Quetta police has arrested three people and seized hundreds of wireless sets, which were stolen from NATO supply containers, during a raid on a warehouse in Pakistan's Spini area.

Earlier, militants had burnt eight NATO tankers in Quetta and fled with the biggest haul of wireless devices.

Quetta, Aug. 31 : PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Husain has said that his party supports Jamil Bugti’s decision to register a case against former president Pervez Musharraf and prime minister Shaukat Aziz for conspiring his father Akbar Bugti’s assassination.

The Daily Times quoted Husain as saying that a fair trial would be conducted against the killers of the Baloch nationalist leader. He added that the PML-Q would not apologise to the Baloch people for the actions his party took while in power.

Quetta/Islamabad, Aug. 22 : Even as Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani talked about progress being made in Balochistan, the country''s largest province, a rocket attack in the Mashkel area near the Pakistan-Iran border killed two people and wounded two others on Saturday.

According to the Dawn, militants fired 14 rockets in the Mashkel area of Washuk district, most of which landed in deserted places.

Quetta (Balochistan, Pakistan), Aug. 14 : Balochistan Chief Minister, Nawab Aslam Raisani, fell unconscious on Friday while delivering a rather interesting speech at an Independence Day ceremony here.

Before he was taken away by paramedics, Raisani said the sense of deprivation among the smaller ethnic groups is the result of the non-implementation of the 1940 Lahore resolution in letter and spirit and that there is an `urgent need' to `reconsider' the 1973 constitution.

Quetta (Pakistan) June 16 : Afghanistan's presidential hopeful Dr Abdullah Abdullah has said that the ongoing military operation against the Taliban in Pakistan proves that "Pakistani territory is being used by the Taliban and their supporters to destabilize Pakistan, Afghanistan and the entire region".

Addressing a press conference, Abdullah urged hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan to vote for him in the August elections.

Quetta, June 11 : One person has reportedly been killed and 35 others injured in a bomb blast that took place in a local train traveling from Karachi to Quetta, the capital of Pakistan''s southwestern Balochistan province.

According to the sources, the bomb was hidden in a toilet, and exploded when the train was about 45 kilometres away from its destination (Quetta).

Quetta, June 11 : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said India and Pakistan cannot afford to be engaged in military combat.

Addressing national and foreigner army officers at the Command and Staff College here, Gilani said neither Pakistan nor India could afford war and expressed his desire that bilateral talks between both countries should resume as soon as possible.

Quetta (Pakistan), June 6 : Tribal chiefs in Pakistan's Dera Bugti district have told 40 people that they will have to walk on burning coal to prove their innocence.

According to the Daily Times, the newly-elected chief of the Bugti tribe, Mir Aali Bugti has decided to give a `trial by fire' to 40 people allegedly involved in various criminal cases.

The exercise has not been held for the last two years due to the absence of a tribal chief.

Quetta (Pakistan), June 1 : In the wake of recent attack on a mosque that killed 25 people in the border city of Zahedan, Iran has decided to close the zero point along the Pak-Iran border.

As a result, bilateral trade and movement of the people have also been suspended.

On Saturday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Pakistan's Ambassador to Iran Muhammad Bux Abbasi and served a demarche on him for the bloody mosque bombing.

Quetta, Apr. 9 : Senior Vice President of the National Party and Senator Hasil Bizenjo on Thursday announced plans for a shutter-down strike and three days of mourning in Balochistan in protest against the slaying of three Baloch leaders in Turbat.

Addressing a news conference here, Bizenjo said that anti-peace forces were responsible for the assassinations of Balochistan National Movement (BNM) President Ghulam Muhammad Baloch, Senior Vice President Lala Munir Ahmed and BRP central leader Sher Muhammad Baloch.

Quetta, Mar. 21 : Balochistan Chief Minister Muhammad Aslam Raisani has said drone attacks in Balochistan will tarnish President Barack Obama's global image.

"We do not have to panic about published reports about possible drone attacks. I will soon meet the American ambassador to convey our concerns to her. This issue would be brought to the attention of President Asif Ali Zardari and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi as well," the Daily Times quoted him, as saying.

Quetta (Pakistan), Mar. 15 : A mysterious insurgent group has said that it is ready to trade John Solecki, the American chief of the U. N. refugee office for the 1,100 people who have gone missing since 2000.

They have said that they are a ready to exchange Solecki for missing Pakistani tailor Ali Asghar Bangulzai and others.

In Baluchistan, Solecki''s kidnapping appears to reflect growing nationalist sentiment among ethnic Baluch tribes, for whom the connection to militant Islam remains murky.

Quetta, Feb. 23 : The Balochistan Liberation United Front (BLUF) has denied killing abducted United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) provincial head John Solecki.

The News quoted the BLUF spokesman, as saying that the rumors were false alarm as Solecki was `still alive and absolutely fine'.

He also quashed the reports of making phone call to press club, and informing them about the killing of the abducted UNHCR official.

Earlier, unknown persons had called up the Quetta Press Club claiming that Solecki had been killed and his body would be found within a couple of hours.

Quetta, Feb 13 : Pakistani security forces raided a hiuse in Balochistan province and arrested five would-be suicide bombers on Friday, a local official said.

The arrests were made in Pashtoonabad, a satellite town of Quetta, where local UN refugee agency (UNHCR) chief John Solecki was kidnapped earlier this month.

"Intelligence agents raided a house and arrested five suspected suicide bombers, along with five suicide jackets and explosive material," the official said.

They are being interrogated at a secret location; the Dawn quoted him, as saying.