Mir Sarfraz Bugti (Urdu, Balochi: میر سرفراز بگٹی) is a Pakistani politician who is currently serving as the Chief Minister of Balochistan since March 2024. He belongs to the Pakistan People's Party. Prior to his current role, Bugti has served as Home and Tribal Affairs Minister of Balochistan.[1] Bugti also served as a senator of Pakistan from March 2015 to March 2021.[2]
Sarfraz Bugti | |
|---|---|
| سرفراز بگٹی | |
| Chief Minister of Balochistan | |
| Assumed office 2 March 2024 | |
| Governor | Abdul Wali Kakar Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail |
| Preceded by | Ali Mardan Khan Domki (caretaker) |
| Member of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan | |
| Assumed office 29 February 2024 | |
| Constituency | PB-10 Dera Bugti |
| Majority | 27,449 (%65.27) |
| Caretaker Minister for Interior, Overseas Pakistanis, and Narcotics Control | |
| In office 17 August 2023 – 15 December 2023 | |
| President | Arif Alvi |
| Prime Minister | Anwaar ul Haq Kakar |
| Preceded by | Rana Sanaullah |
| Succeeded by | Chaudhry Salik Hussain (Overseas Pakistanis) Mohsin Naqvi (Interior and Narcotics Control) |
| Minister for Home & Tribal Affairs of Balochistan | |
| In office January 13, 2018 – May 31, 2018 | |
| In office October 14, 2013 – January 1, 2018 | |
| Pakistani Senator from Balochistan | |
| In office March 2015 – March 2021 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dera Bugti District, Balochistan, Pakistan |
| Political party | PPP (2023-present) |
| Other political affiliations | BAP (2018-2023) PMLN (2013—2018) |
| Residence(s) | Dera Bugti District, Balochistan, Pakistan |
| Religion | Sunni Muslim |
On 17 August 2023, he took oath as Caretaker Interior Minister and resigned from the position on 15 December 2023.[3][4]
Early life and education
editSarfraz was born in a village of Dera Bugti, Balochistan, Pakistan.[5]
His father Mir Ghulam Qadir Masori Bugti was a tribal elder of the Masori sub-clan of the Bugti tribe who was a member of General Zia's Majlis-e-Shoora before becoming a part of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).[6] Mir Ghulam was known to be active against the sardari or neo-feudal system of Balochistan and being a political rival of Nawab Akbar Bugti.[5]
His brother Jan Mohammad Bugti has also been active in politics as a PPP candidate.[7]
Sarfraz completed his early education at the Lawrence College, Murree before enrolling at the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad to study Defence and Strategic Studies (DSS) but had to interrupt his higher education when his father was jailed by Pervez Musharraf.[5]
Sarfraz was arrested in 2007 when he reached his village to oversee preparations for the forthcoming elections and later jailed under maintenance of public order charges and Jan Muhammad Bugti was allegedly kidnapped by security agencies from the office of the Election Commission in Dera Bugti when he had gone there to file his nomination paper.[8]
Later, he tried to join the Pakistan Army and to pass the Inter-Services Selection Board (ISSB) exams.[5]
Political career
editProvincial politics in Balochistan
editIn 2013, he won the Provincial Assembly elections from Constituency PB-24 as a representative of the Baloch community from Dera Bugti with a clear majority as an independent candidate by securing 10013 votes, and after elections joined PML (N).[9]
Sarfraz became Minister of Interior of Balochistan on 14 October 2013.
National politics as Caretaker Interior Minister
editIn August 2023, he took charge as the country's Caretaker Interior Minister.
One of his first decisions was to ask for the release of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) activists.[10]
On 15 December 2023, he resigned from this position in order to contest the 2024 Pakistani general election.[11]
in December 2023, Bugti joined Pakistan People's Party.
Chief Minister of Balochistan (2024–present)
editIn 2024, Bugti was elected unopposed as the Chief Minister of Balochistan.[12] This came after he joined the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). He also got the support of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN). His nomination for this post was announced by People's Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari.[13] Bugti outlined a comprehensive plan of about sixty measures aimed at enhancing governance. He urged ministers to actively engage with their respective departments, ensure effective service delivery and accountability. To assess progress, key performance indicators (KPIs) will be established to assess departmental performance.[14]
Political views
editPakistani nationalism
editBaloch journalist Malik Siraj Akbar has called Sarfraz a representative of "hyper Pakistani nationalism", which he considers being engineered by the country's establishment.[15]
Islamic welfare state
editSarfraz is a proponent of an Islamic welfare state.[5] This is in order to combat Balochistan’s high poverty rate.[16]
Activism against Baloch separatism
editSarfraz is a notable critic of Baloch separatism, and has spoken against the organization Baluchistan Republic Army (BRA) headed by Brahamdagh Bugti, grandson of Akbar Bugti. The BRA is declared as a terrorist organization by the government of Pakistan. [17]
In a BBC interview, Bugti claimed that the Indian agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was involved in funding and arming militants in Balochistan, but that it stopped doing so after its agent was arrested in Balochistan.[18][19]
Publications
edit- “The Role of Intelligence Agencies in Balochistan” (Paper presented at a two days national workshop held in National Defence University, Islamabad, July 17-18, 2012).[20]
References
edit- ^ "6 terrorists linked to RAW, NDC arrested from Quetta: Sarfraz Bugti - Pakistan - Dunya News". 14 February 2008.
- ^ "Senate of Pakistan". www.senate.gov.pk. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
- ^ Latif, Amir (17 August 2023). "Pakistan's new caretaker Cabinet takes oath". Anadolu Ajansı.
- ^ "Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti resigns". ARY NEWS. 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
- ^ a b c d e Khan, Mariam (January 2018). "'There is no no-go area in Balochistan; the state has established its writ and it will consolidate it further' - Sarfraz Ahmad Bugti". Mag The Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 August 2023.
- ^ Shahid, Saleem (18 December 2008). "Pro-govt elder's house attacked in Dera Bugti". Dawn News. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ "Fahim assails kidnapping of PPP candidate". Dawn News. 28 November 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ "Abduction of Qadir Bugti's sons condemned". Brecorder. 2007-11-28. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ "PB-24 Official Result, Election Commission of Pakistan". Archived from the original on 2015-11-19. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
- ^ "Interior Minister orders to release PTM activists". Pakistan Today. 18 August 2023.
- ^ "Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti resigns". ARY NEWS. 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
- ^ "Sarfraz Bugti becomes Balochistan CM 'unopposed'". 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Election 2024: Sarfraz Bugti nominated CM Balochistan". March 2024.
- ^ "New Balochistan cabinet sworn in". The Express Tribune. 2024-04-20. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
- ^ Akbar, Malik Siraj (20 August 2016). "Why Modi's statements should be the least of our worries on Balochistan". Dawn News. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
Instead of healing the Baloch people's wounds, the establishment has promoted a dangerous wave of hyper Pakistani nationalism. Hence, people like Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti spend most of their time questioning other people's patriotism and resort to bizarre ways to prove themselves as better Pakistanis than the rest.
- ^ "40% Pakistanis live in poverty: lowest in Punjab (31%), highest in Balochistan (85%) – Welcome to Inford". Retrieved 2023-12-13.
- ^ "Five Baloch militant outfits banned". Dawn (newspaper). 2010-09-09. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
- ^ RAW funds militant groups in Balochistan: Sarfraz Bugti, News Pakistan, 5 December 2016.
- ^ RAW involved in terrorism in Balochistan: Sarfraz Bugti
- ^ "Balochistan Unrest: Internal-External Dimensions". NDU Journal. 26. National Defence University, Islamabad, Pakistan: 121. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 August 2023.