Baloch Liberation Tigers, also called the BLT, has claimed responsibility for the bombing of a gas pipeline in the Dera Bugti area in Balochistan on Friday, March 8. The explosion is said to have caused a huge fire, killing four security personnel and injuring two employees.
Speaking of the group claiming the attack, Mir Sarmachar Baloch, a Journalist, and human rights activist, took to Twitter and wrote: ""Baloch Liberation Tigers in a statement accepted responsibility of the deadly attack inside #SuiGas field in #DeraBugti, #Balochistan. Four DSG personnel were also killed due to massive fire after the explosion."
After the explosion on Friday, Tarek Fatah, author and expert on Pakistan affairs tweeted the video of the incident, in which a huge fire can be seen lighting up the sky amid a bunch of trees. "Video from Occupied Balochistan shows Baloch guerrillas scoring a direct hit on a gas pipeline near Sui and Dera Bugti that steals natural gas to Punjab," he wrote.
Video from Occupied Balochistan shows Baloch guerrillas scoring a direct hit on a gas pipeline near Sui and Dera Bugti that steals natural gas to Punjab. pic.twitter.com/1l7aoTJTIM
— Tarek Fatah (@TarekFatah) March 9, 2019
Who are the Baloch Liberation Tigers?
- The Baloch Liberation Tigers is known to be a pro-freedom group formed in the year 2011.
- The militant group considers Pakistan its opponents and has waged a struggle to claim equal rights for the Baloch people in Pakistan.
- It believes the Baloch people have been oppressed by Pakistan for decades and now need to be liberated.
- The group blew up the pipeline on Friday as they blame Pakistan for exploiting their resources, reported ANI.
- The group has often protested the fact that gas from Balochistan is supplied to Punjab province of Pakistan whereas people in Balochistan have no fuel for themselves.
- In the year 2013, the BLT had asked all Baloch leaders to refrain from contesting elections "sponsored by evil Pakistani establishment."
- It had said that contesting these elections would be an insult to Baloch martyrs who have laid down their lives fighting for the rights of their people.
- "We request all baloch people not to attend rallies of baloch leaders and do not vote to anyone, rather be at home and pray for success of our sarmachars," the BLT said in a press release. "Baloch leaders should remember sacrifice of our sarmachars and our proud heritage and culture, we hope they get enlighten and withdraw from elections."