New Delhi: Three days after CNN-News18 broke the story that New Delhi was considering granting political asylum to Baloch activists living in exile, the top leader of Balochistan Republican Party (BRP) Brahumdagh Bugti has said he will apply for asylum in India.
CNN-News18 learns that a decision to this effect was taken at a high level meeting of BRP in Geneva on Sunday. Bugti, grandson of slain Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, is a survivor of the attack on a BRP hideout in Kohlu near Quetta in 2006 launched by Pakistani Army in which his grandfather was killed.
The executive council meeting of BRP in Geneva authorised Bugti to formally apply for political asylum in India.
Strategic experts say if New Delhi agrees to the request it will be a landmark change in India’s foreign policy and will be construed as a snub to Islamabad in the aftermath of the Uri attack that killed 17 Indian soldiers on Sunday.
The last time India granted political asylum was to the Dalai Lama in 1959.
CNN-News18 broke the story of India considering granting asylum to Balch leaders last Friday. Speaking from Geneva, Bugti had said he welcomed the move and called it “historic". Bugti said the biggest difficulty for him and other Baloch leaders who are living in exile is the lack of travel documents. When granted asylum, Bugti would get an Indian passport which would enable him to travel to other countries.
Bugti thanked Prime Minister Modi for raising Balochistan issue in his Independence Day speech, after which the Baloch issue has gained international momentum.
Last week, at the United Nations General Assembly Baloch leaders, protested outside the Broken Chair statue highlighting their sufferings at the hands of Pakistan’s Army.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is expected to highlight the ongoing Kashmir unrest at the UN General Assembly next week. India is hoping to blunt this Pakistan strategy by highlighting the plight of the Baloch people when Sushma Swaraj speaks at the UNGA this week.
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