Santosh Kumar Bugti
Santosh Kumar Bugti (Urdu/Balochi: سنتوش کمار بگٹی) is a Pakistani politician. He served as a member of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan from 2013 to 2018 on a reserved seat for minorities, and is affiliated with the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N).[1] BackgroundBugti was born to father Narain Das and hails from the Dera Bugti District.[2] He belongs to Balochistan's Hindu community. Prior to entering politics, he was known as a community leader and rights advocate for the Hindu minority.[3][4][5][6] Political careerBugti has been affiliated with the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and was elected to the Balochistan Provincial Assembly on a reserved seat for minorities in the 2013 election, an office he held until the completion of his term in 2018.[1][7] During this time, he developed a close association with prime minister Nawaz Sharif.[1] He served as the information secretary of the PML-N's Balochistan wing.[8] In November 2014, Bugti's legislature membership was revoked by the Election Commission of Pakistan following a reference filed against him by PML-N Balochistan leader Sanaullah Khan Zehri on grounds of non-attendance of assembly proceedings.[1][7] It was reported that political differences had also developed between Bugti and the provincial PML-N leadership at the time.[7] However, Bugti received backing from Sharif and challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He won the case and his membership was reinstated.[1] In March 2022, Bugti visited Sharif at his residence in London and assured him of the Hindu community's support in a meeting later publicised in the media.[9][10] References
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