Exiled Baloch rebel leaders to get Indian citizenship: Pak media

Exiled Baloch leaders including Brahumdagh Bugti is expected to be granted citizenship. Bugti is accused of leading, a separatist group designated as a terrorist organisation in Pakistan.

Since the Independence Day speech by prime minister Narendra Modi, in which he raised the issue of human rights violations in Balochistan, Pakistan has been paranoid about India's intentions. Now reports in Pakistani media claim that India is planning to give citizenship to exiled Baloch leaders including Brahumdagh Bugti.

Brahumdagh Bugti is the founder-leader of the Baloch Republican Party, a Baloch nationalist group. He also has been accused by Pakistan of leading the Baloch Republican Army, a separatist group designated as a terrorist organisation in Pakistan. 

He has lived in exile, first in Afghanistan and later Switzerland.

A Times of India report citing Pakistan's Geo TV said that the Baloch leader is currently in negotiations with the Indian government for citizenship.

The Pakistani media report also said that India was also considering granting citizenship to - Sher Muhammad Bugti and Azizullah Bugti - top aides of the exiled leader.

A Baloch Republican Party (BRP) source told Geo TV that bid for Indian citizenship has been in process even before PM Modi made his Independence Day speech.

"We will use Indian papers to travel around the world to campaign against Pakistan and to highlight our case. We have openly thanked Narendra Modi for his support and we are no more hiding anything. We have no other option. We do not care what our opponents think of our support for Modi and his support for us," the BRP source is quoted as saying.

Bugti fled his hometown Dera Bugti in Balochistan in 2006 following the assassination of his grandfather Akbar Bugti. After fleeing the country, he had first lived in Afghanistan as a state guest and was later to Switzerland in October 2010. He has been living there ever since, in political asylum, with his family.