Brahamdagh Khan Bugti or Brahumdagh Khan Bugti ( or ) is the founder and leader of the Baloch Republican Party, a Baloch nationalist group which broke away from his uncle Talal Akbar Bugti's Jamhoori Watan Party in 2008. He is the grandson and tribal successor of Nawab Akbar Bugti, former chief minister and governor of the Balochistan province. He campaigns for the rights of

Baloch people The Baloch ( ) or Baluch ( ; , plural ) are a nomadic, Pastoralism, pastoral, ethnic group which speaks the Western Iranian, Western Iranic Balochi language and is native to the Balochistan region of South Asia, South and Western Asia, encompas ...

around Europe. , he was living in self-imposed exile in

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

. He met the then Chief Minister of Balochistan, Dr. Malik Baloch, and federal minister, Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, in Geneva, twice in 2015. Bugti condones negotiations with Pakistan and a political resolution of the political differences in Balochistan. In 2017, his asylum request was rejected by Swiss authorities. The Swiss authorities said that the Bugti's asylum request was rejected because he was involved in terror-related activities. His brother-in-law, Mehran Marri was also banned from entering Switzerland. The Swiss authorities stated that both Brahumdagh Bugti and Mehran Marri are a security risk to Switzerland.

Abduction of UN official

UN Resident Representative, Fikret Akcura, stated that Brahumdagh Bugti had connections with the abduction of UN official John Solecki in 2009. Similarly, United Nations Special Representative to Afghanistan, Kai Eide, called the then President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai regarding the release of Solecki. President Karzai admitted that Brahumdagh Bugti was in

Kabul Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province. The city is divided for administration into #Districts, 22 municipal districts. A ...

and that he will pressure Brahumdagh Bugti for the safe release of John Solecki.

Allegations of terrorism and self-exile

Bugti went into self-exile in Afghanistan during a military operation Dera Bugti 2006 against the Baloch militants. Pakistan has alleged that he has been involved in a number of terrorist attacks. In 2007, Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf said that Bugti had been planning terrorist attacks from Afghanistan with covert Indian and Afghan support. Afghan president Hamid Karzai publicly rejected this accusation, but later secretly admitted to US officials that Bugti was provided safe-haven in Kabul. In 2010 when Pakistan asked Kabul to hand him over, Bugti moved to Switzerland. In 2016, it was reported that Brahamdagh Bugti had applied for Asylum in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

but it was put on hold by the government of India. However, a report back in 2010 stated he already held an Indian passport. In 2017, Bugti's asylum request was rejected by the Swiss government on the basis of Bugti's links with “incidents of terrorism, violence and militant activities". Bugti moved to Switzerland in October 2010 and since then he is living in Geneva along with his family. In September 2016, Pakistan contacted Interpol to extradite Bugti but the request was dismissed by Interpol in December 2017. Bugti accuses Pakistan of serious human rights violations and blames Pakistani media for not highlighting the frightful situation in Balochistan including military operations, enforced disappearances, torture, and killing of Baloch civilians and political activists. In an Interview with the Republic, he called Pakistan a terrorist state and the Pakistani army a terrorist supporting army.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bugti, Brahamdagh Khan Baloch militants Baloch nationalists Brahamdagh Living people Pakistani exiles Pakistani expatriates in Afghanistan Pakistani expatriates in Switzerland People from Dera Bugti District Year of birth missing (living people)