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Extrajudicial killings and abductions by Pakistan forces continue to bleed Balochistan

Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 20 May 2017, 06:16 pm Print

Extrajudicial killings and abductions by Pakistan forces continue to bleed Balochistan
Quetta, May 20 (Just Earth News) Balochistan, a region roiled by insurgency against Pakistan, is witnessing a series of abduction and extradjudicial killings by the Pak authorities with several reported in the past two months, said the Human Rights Council of Balochistan, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group based in Sweden & France.

Since Pakistan annexed the autonomous Baloch state of Kalat in 1948, the region witnessed insurgency which peaked in the recent times even as Pakistan cracked down on the movement heavily.

Balochistan is now split between Pakistan and Iran. People in Balochistan are demanding a separate state independent from Pakistan.

According to HRCB,  on 16 May 2017, the body of Mohammad Naim Marri was found dumped in Qambrani road Quetta, the capital of Balochistan. The body bore marks of severe torture, reports from Balochistan said.

HRCB said Marri was abducted by Pakistan security forces five years ago, on 27 Sept 2012 from Civic Centre Karachi, the capital of Sindh and remained missing since then.

The human rights group said extrajudicial killings are rising in Balochistan. Earlier, a bullet riddled body of Balach Boro was found dumped in Churr, Pasni district Gwadar on 9 May 2017.

Balach Boro was a resident of Churr and was abducted by security forces on 8 May 2017 from his house. Many cases of fake encounter were also recorded in the month of April this year., it said

On 18 May 2017, security forces surrounded and started a military operation in Jan Mohammad Bazar and Zyarti areas of Dasht district Kech Balochistan.

During the operation, security forces abducted eighty years old Karim Bakhsh Sher Mohammad, Waris Abdul Ghafoor, Obed Shay Mohammad, Tariq Wali Mohammad, Muslim Barkat and Abdullah Rustam from Jan Mohammad Bazar of Dasht and Shah Jan Issa, Asghar Lal Bakhsh, Rafiq Lal Bakhsh, Ometan Rafiq, Shay Mohammad Mohammad, Dur Jan Shay Mohammad, Murad Jan Babu and Inayat Sher Mohammad.

Separately, on the same day, Waheed Khan Mohammad, a shopkeeper abducted by security forces from Gayab, Mand district Kech, Balochistan.

Baloch politician and activist for women's rights, writer .Naela Qadri Baloch

has earlier urged the Indian government to intervene and liberate Balochistan from Pakistan.

On 17 May 2017, Pakistani security forces raided a house in TT colony district Gwadar and abducted Walid Abul Hassan and Shoaib Saleh Mohammad residents of Zarren Bug village of Dasht district Kech, Balochistan, said HRCB.

Previously abducted Waleed Nasir has been released. Waleed Nasir, a 34-year-old poet, independent film maker and actor was first abducted on 15 October 2016 and later released.

He was recently abducted on 27 April 2017 from Karachi and released on 17 May 2017, after 21 days of illegal detention.

  Separately, on the same day, Waheed Khan Mohammad, a shopkeeper abducted by security forces from Gayab, Mand district Kech, Balochistan.

According to reports, on  May 15 last, Pakistani security forces conducted military operations and set ablaze several houses in Gwarkop, Solani, Dansar, Main Bazar and Lanji areas of Pidark district Kech, Balochistan.

Pidark is a region between district Kech and Gwadar, which is popular for camps of religious extremists. Nationalists blame security forces for using these religious groups against them.

During the operations, security forces abducted Sadiq Nek Bakht and Nooruddin Mazar from Lanji village, Shoukat Pendul, Dr. Shakil Mohammad Yaqob, Inayat Mohammad Ali and Ijaz Gwahram from Malik Bazar, Riaz Ahmed and Nusrath Qasim from Main Bazar, Jameel Dilmurad and Imran Mehrab from Dansar, Pidark district Kech, Balochistan.

Shoukat Pendul, Inayat Mohammad Ali and Ijaz Gwahram were released on the same day, but the others have been shifted to unknown location and their whereabouts are still unknown to their families, said HRCB.

Several armed separatist groups are fighting for a free Balochistan, including the  Balochistan Liberation Army and Lashkar-e-Balochistan.

Rights groups in Balochistan said Pakistan is crushing human rights in the region and has unleashed genocide.

Naela Qadri earlier told foreign media that "Pakistan had created local al-Qaida and ISIS groups in the region, in the same way that it had once created al-Shams and al-Badr in Bangladesh."