Baloch woman activist asks US to designate Pervez Musharraf as global terrorist

Prof Naela Quadri Baloch, head of the World Baloch Women Forum (WBWF), has urged the United States to start compiling information for satisfactorily fulfilling statutory criteria for designation of former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf as Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGTs).

This has come in the wake of Musharraf coming out in support of the terror groups, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), saying they were the biggest force against the Indian Army in Kashmir.

Prof Quadri Baloch, in a statement, said, "We strongly urge the US to immediately start compiling information for satisfactorily fulfilling statutory criteria for designation of Pervez Musharraf as Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGTs) under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, for associating with US designated terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and take appropriate steps to freeze all his assets and interests in the United States."

"Now that he has openly admitted , it is time for US to investigate the extent of control he exercised over LeT during and after his tenure as president of Pakistan. Investigation should include his role in assisting LeT in providing material and financial assistance, in recruiting terrorist operatives, gathering intelligence, covert terrorist operations," she added.

Prof Quadri Baloch further stated that Musharraf, who had callously butchered the Baloch using US-provided weapons, was still baying for Baloch blood.

"He needs to be brought to book for crimes against humanity. 'Those who stay in Pakistan, burn Pakistan's flag and raise anti-national slogans deserve to be butchered,' these are the words of Musharraf. It is high time for the US to rethink its policy towards Pakistan and impose condition of 'no use of US weapons in Balochistan' and halt further sales of weapons to prevent slow motion genocide of the Baloch," she added.

The statement further said that the WBWF urged all Governments around the world to actively expose and isolate such individuals in the Pakistani Millitary and impose sanctions for global peace and security.

"Baloch activists will relentlessly expose Musharraf in all International bodies and educate global citizens about his role in butchery of Baloch," it concluded.

Earlier yesterday, speaking on Pakistan's ARY News, Musharraf said, "I am the biggest supporter of the LeT and I know they like me and the JuD also likes me."

He further said he liked the global terrorist, JuD chief Hafiz Saeed, and had met him.

The former Pakistan president added he was always in favour of terrorist action in Kashmir, and the LeT and the JuD were the biggest forces to take on the Indian Army in the state.

He also accused India of declaring the LeT and the JuD as terror groups with the help of the United States.

Earlier this week, the US strongly condemned the release of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed from house arrest and called for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution.

The White House in a statement, said, "The United States strongly condemns the release of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed from house arrest in Pakistan and calls for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution."

"A clear international consensus exists regarding Saeed's culpability-he was designated by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. The Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the United States, since 2012, has offered a $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice," it read.

Saeed, accused of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, was released on November 24 after a Pakistan judicial body ordered his release from house arrest, rejecting a request from the government of Punjab to extend his detention by three months.

The decision to put Saeed under house arrest in January was seen as a response to actions by US President Donald Trump's White House against nations deemed linked to terrorism.

-ANI