Pakistan Minister Quits After Accusing Army of Killings ("...fellow countrymen...Bhutto")

[Hissyspit]

Source: BBC News

Pakistan minister quits after accusing army of killings

26 September 2010 Last updated at 04:42 ET

The Pakistani minister for defence production has resigned after criticising the military. Abdul Qayum Jatoi had told journalists on Saturday that the Pakistani army was provided with funds to defend the country, not to get involved in political assassinations.

His comments were played repeatedly on Pakistani television channels.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani summoned him to explain his remarks and a short time later, Mr Jatoi resigned.

"We provided the army with uniforms and boots not so that they kill their own fellow countrymen, kill Nawab Sahib and Benazir Bhutto," he told a news conference in the city of Quetta.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11413511

[earcandle]

1. Yes, get it all out! Bhutto had stated on TV that Osama had been killed years ago and there really

was no excuse for the US to continue the wars, not that there
was an excuse in the first place for any of this but to
fulfill the sick dreams of the BUSH regime. 

[JackRiddler]

5. She did not. This is proving to be an unkillable mistake.

Watch the clip of Bhutto interviewed by David Frost. She clearly misspoke. She never said anything of the sort before or after. (Which says nothing about whether it's true that OBL is dead or what she may have thought about it.) Unfortunately motives to assassinate her existed in plenty without this myth making the rounds.

[Vehl]

2. This is a pretty strong accusation

And coming from the Minister for defense production, it carries a lot of weight.

The accusations are not new though...it was widely believed that the Army was behind the assassination of Bhutto.
Also, the statement about the Baluchi leader rings true as well...The Pakistani Army is mostly an army of Pakistani Punjab. Its officers are almost exclusively from that region...and so are most of the nation's politicians. Its no wonder they treat the rest of Pakistan as secondary to the so called "Core" of Pakistan which is Pakistan Punjab.

Balochitan and wazaristan are examples of regions which have strong separatist movements, mostly due to the heavy handed rule of the government. But if this claim by the minister is true (i personally believe that it is so), and judging by the flurry of denials one sees from politicians in the nation...it seems as if the real power behind the government of Pakistan is still the Army...even though its not "overtly" ruling as it did under Musharraf.

[cosmicone]

6. It would be interesting

if Baluchistan and Sindhudesh get independence.

[EFerrari]

3. I'm completely confused. Amy had on a young woman

who I believe was Bhutto's niece. She quietly accused Bhutto of having her father offed. I can't keep up.

ETA: http://www.democracynow.org/2010/9/24/fatima_bhutto_on_the_floods_in

[COLGATE4]

4. It sounds like Pakistan's gov't is starting to unravel - not at all

a good turn of events considering that they've got nukes.