QUETTA: The bullet-riddled body of a journalist was found dumped in a deserted area near Turbat city in Kech district on Saturday morning. At least 17 journalists have been killed in Balochistan during the last three years.

Relatives of Express News correspondent Razzaq Gul said that he had been kidnapped from near his house on Friday evening and had been missing since then.

Gul’s body was found near Singani Sar area close to the Old Civil Hospital in Turbat. Law enforcement agencies shifted the body to a state-run hospital for an autopsy, where his brother identified him.

“The victim was shot in the head and chest, and his body bore marks of torture,” hospital sources said.

Gul had received 15 bullets to his head and chest, and had died instantly.

According to journalists in Turbat Press Club, Razzaq Gul had not mentioned that he was receiving death threats. He hadn’t even indicated that his life was in danger.

“He was kidnapped and later his body was dumped,” local journalists said.

Most journalists refused to comment on the killing owing to security reasons.

Acting Inspector General (IG) Police Balochistan Hussain Karar Khwaja has directed an inquiry into the murder.

Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) and Council of All Balochistan Press Club strongly condemned the killing. BUJ also announced three day mourning.

“As many as 17 journalists have been killed during that past three years and not a single murder was properly investigated,” BUJ said in a statement. “This is meant to terrify journalists in Balochistan.”

Council of All Balochistan Press Club said that it will launch a protest campaign by June 1 if culprits behind the murder are not arrested immediately.

A complete shutter down strike is being observed in Tump, Mand, Hoshab and Turbat city to protest the killing of journalists.

Funeral prayers for Razzaq Gul will be held at 1pm today and his burial will take place in his hometown, Singhania Sar.

QUETTA: The Voice for Balochistan Missing Persons (VFBMP), an non-government organisation striving for the safe recovery of missing persons, has said that the relatives of missing persons have pinned all their hope on the Chief Justice of Pakistan for the return of their loved ones, some of who have been missing for years.

Addressing a news conference at a hunger strike camp set up by the relatives of missing persons outside the Quetta Press Club here on Friday, Chairman VFBMP Nasurllah Baloch announced that a seminar would be held on the violation of human rights in Balochistan on May 20 at Quetta Press Club.

“Security forces and security agencies are behind the enforced disappearances and dumping of bullet-riddled and mutilated bodies in Balochistan. This gruesome violation of human rights has continued unabated despite the Supreme Court directives,” he told the reporters on Friday.

“Earlier only relatives accused the security forces and secret agencies but police also produced concrete evidence against these institutions for their involvement in this barbaric act,” he said pointing towards the mounting evidence suggesting involvement of intelligence and security agencies.

He said relatives of missing persons are disappointed with the Balochistan Chief Minister Nawabzada Aslam Raisani and Governor Nawab Magsi as they have failed to fulfill their promises despite enjoying four years in power. “They claim that they are well wisher of Baloch people but so far have failed to address a single issue, particularly the missing persons’ issue. The recovery of mutilated bodies is a slap in the face of so-called democratic government,” he asserted.

Baloch also criticised the Human Rights Organisations for not playing their due role to ensure protection of rights of the common man. “The silence on part of rights groups is regrettable. The humanitarian problems are not addressed by holding seminars at five star hotels.”

A police vehicle was returning from Kirani Road after escorting some people of the Hazara community from Hazar Ganji when assailants opened fire on the vehicle, killing two police constables and injuring two others, according to a police official.

One of the survivors said the police vehicle had stopped at the kerb side when it suddenly came under a hail of bullets.

“Just as the police vehicle reached near Eastern Bypass and stopped by the side of the road, some assailants opened fire at it,” said a policeman who escaped unhurt in the attack. “The assailants were onboard a vehicle and sped away after opening indiscriminate fire,” he said.

Police and security forces reached the spot and cordoned off the area after the attack.

The deceased and the injured were shifted to Bolan Medical College Teaching Hospital. The slain police officers were identified as constables Murtaza and Sanaullah, while the injured as Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Muhammad Hussain and Constable Din Mohammad.

Police officials and their vehicles have been regularly targeted in the city since the beginning of this month. Senior police officers Shahnawaz Khan and Sub-inspector Sayed Jamal Shah were also killed in the targeted attack. “It is an incident of targeted killing and is linked with previous attacks on police officers,” a senior police officer said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2012.

QUETTA: Two police officials were killed while two were injured on Thursday morning when unknown assailants opened fire on them on the Eastern Bypass in Quetta.

According to a police official, the deceased – both police constables – were identified as Murtaza and Sanaullah, while ASI Muhammad Hussain and Constable Deen Muhammad were injured.

The deceased and the injured were shifted to Bolan Medical College Teaching Hospital.

The officials were on a routine patrol when the attack took place. The assailants fled the scene after the attack.

Police and security forces cordoned off the area after the attack.

Police officials and police mobiles have been regularly targeted in the city during the last week.

QUETTA: Two police personnel and two prisoners were injured when a police mobile came under attacked from a remote controlled bomb near Goth Ghulam Mohammad in Dera Murad Jamali on Wednesday.

The banned Baloch Republican Army (BRA) claimed the responsibility for the explosion and its spokesperson who introduced himself as Sarbaz Baloch vowed that his organisation will continue such attacks in Balochistan.

According to a senior police officer of Dera Murad Jamali, unknown persons had planted an explosive device along the road near Goth Mohammad Ali and detonated it by remote control when a vehicle of Mir Hassan Police station passed by. As result of the explosion two police personnel and two prisoners it was carrying received shrapnel wounds. The police van was also damaged in the explosion.

A heavy contingent of police and security forces reached the spot and set up a security cordon in the area.

The injured were taken to the state-run hospital in Dera Murad Jamali. Officials described the condition of the injured as ‘out of danger’.

The injured were identified as police officials Mohammad Muqeem, Maqbool while prisoners were identified as Ayaz Ahmed and Mohin.

Police have conduction search in the area after the explosion.

“An explosive laden car parked on Airport Road at Almo Chowk was detonated by terrorists when two vehicles of the paramilitary Frontier Corps drove past,” Malik Arshad, the superintendent of police, Airport Road Circle, told The Express Tribune.

A man identifying himself as a member of the banned Baloch Republican Army claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call to a private television channel.

“The target was the FAC convoy. Most of the injured are passersby, including five women and three children,” he added.

According to the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), around 40 kilogrammes of high explosives were used in the blast which destroyed eight vehicles. At least 10 vehicles, 18 shops and two banks were also damaged in the blast.

Windowpanes of dozens of houses, offices and auto showrooms were smashed due to the impact of the blast which was heard within a radius of six kilometres.

Almo Chowk is a busy roundabout where a huge market, scores of auto showrooms, government offices and restaurants are located.

The explosion ignited a fire on at least eight vehicles and the people travelling in received shrapnel wounds. The two FC vehicles targeted were destroyed.

A heavy contingent of security forces threw a security cordon around the blast site as rescuers shifted the casualties to the Sandeman Hospital, Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and FC Headquarters Hospital. A state of emergency was declared at the Sandeman hospital.

According to witnesses, the car used in the blast was parked along a footpath. “I was driving my pickup right behind the FC convoy. As soon as they neared Almo Chowk, a powerful blast went off,” one of the men wounded in the blast told The Express Tribune from his hospital bed.

The FC spokesperson confirmed that two paramilitary soldiers were killed and 10 wounded in the blast. He identified the dead troopers as Waseem Abbas and Aziz.

Medics at the Sandeman Hospital said that they have received one fatality and 32 injured people.

“Five women and three children are among the injured. Two of the women with life-threatening wounds were referred to the CMH,” a doctor told The Express Tribune. “However, one of them expired on her way to the hospital.”

It was a second deadly attack on the paramilitary force in as many months. Last month an FC convoy was targeted on Saryab Road in which two passersby were killed and dozens others injured.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2012.

QUETTA: Two personnel of Frontier Corps (FC) and a passer-by woman were killed while 35 others, including four women, three children and 10 security personnel, sustained injuries in a remote-controlled explosion at Almo Chowk on Airport Road in Quetta on Monday.

According to the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), around 40kg explosives were used in the blast that completely destroyed eight vehicles, while 10 vehicles were partially damaged. At least 18 nearby shops and two banks were also damaged.

“A car laden with explosives was parked besides the Airport Road at Almo Chowk. The explosives were detonated by a remote control when two vehicles of FC passed by the area,” Superintendent of Police Airport Road Circle told The Express Tribune.

He also confirmed the casualties and damages. “The target was security forces and passers-by. Five women and three children sustained multiple splinter wounds.”

The windowpanes of scores of houses, offices, commercial establishments and vehicle showrooms were smashed due to the impact of the blast. Explosion was heard five to six kilometers from the crime scene.

At least eight vehicles caught fire and people onboard received splinter wounds. Two vehicles of Frontier Corps were also damaged.

A heavy contingent of security forces, police and rescue workers reached the spot soon after the blast and cordoned off the area. The dead bodies and injured were taken to hospitals. A state of emergency was declared at Provincial Sundeman Hospital where civilians were brought for treatment while injured security men were shifted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and FC headquarter hospital.

According to eyewitness accounts, a suspected car, parked on a footpath, was used for this attack. “I was in my pickup and behind the security forces’ vehicles. As they reached near the Almo Chowk, a powerful blast occurred,” one of the injured said.

Spokesperson of FC confirmed that two security men were killed and ten wounded in the blast. The deceased security men were identified as Waseem Abbas and Aziz.

The dead body of one FC official and 32 injured were brought to Provincial Sandeman Hospital for treatment.

“Five women and three children were among the injured. Two women are in a critical situation and had been referred to CMH,” doctors said. One of the injured woman succumbed to her injuries on her way to the hospital.

QUETTA: The Balochistan Provincial Minister for Communications Ali Madad Jatak believes that there must be some sort of corruption in his province given its backwardness, and that there really is no harm in that.

Talking to media in Quetta on Friday, Jatak, who also doubles as the spokesperson for the government of Balochistan confessed that corruption exists in in the province, but still ranked fourth behind Punjab, Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

“Corruption is being done at large scale in Punjab while Balochistan is on fourth position. There is no harm in some sort of corruption, which should be done,” he said with broad smile on his face.

He said that the government may have disappointed the people during its four year rule, which is why people are taking to the streets in different cities, but no one could deny the fact that Balochistan has witnessed record development in the corresponding four years.

It is worth mentioning that some non-serious statements had been made by the Ministers and the Supreme Court took notice to one such statement.

Similarly, a few months ago, the Balochistan Home Minister said on the floor of the house that some ministers were involved in kidnapping for ransom in Balochistan. Some ministers also claimed the security forces are behind the kidnapping and dumping the mutilated bodies of missing persons. These claims are now subject to an inquiry.

QUETTA: A police official was killed and three others were injured when a patrolling police vehicle was attacked with a remote controlled bomb on Qambrani Road in Quetta on Thursday.

Talking to The Express Tribune, police officer Sikandar Tareen said that unknown persons had planted an explosive device along the roadside and detonated it using a remote control when a police patrol passed by. The subsequent explosion had damaged the vehicle and injured four of its occupants.

A heavy contingent of the Frontier Corps (FC) and police reached the spot and cordoned off the area. The injured police personnel were shifted to the nearby Bolan Medical College Teaching Hospital where one of the police personnel, Mohammad Talah, was reported dead on arrival.

Others injured included Abdul Hakeem, Inayatullah and Mohammad Naseem.

“The target was the police patrol,” a senior investigation officer said, adding that the incident was linked to the target killing of senior anti-terrorism police officer Shahnwaz Khan. Khan had been shot dead two days ago near his residence in Satellite Town in Quetta. The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) spokesperson Abu Bakar Sadiq Jhangvi accepted responsibility for the death of CID official Khan, adding that the LeJ will not spare anyone who kills their members.

The senior investigation officer further said that a banned outfit had issued a hit list of police officers, warning that they will target the police and other law enforcement agencies in Quetta.

However, no group had claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack until the filing of this report.

Man shot dead in Faizabad

Meanwhile, a man identified as Ghulam Moyuddin was shot dead by unknown assailants in Faizabad area of Saryab in Quetta.

The victim was standing outside his residence when armed assailants riding on a motorbike opened fire at him, killing him on the spot.

The assailants managed to escape from the scene.

The motive behind the murder could not be ascertained.

According to Deputy Inspector General (DIG-Operations) Qazi Wahid, SSP Crime Investigation Department (CID) Shahnawaz Khan left his house located in block-III for a routine morning walk when two assailants on a motorbike opened fire at him near the Badech Bridge close to his residence. He received multiple bullet wounds and died on the spot. The attackers fled the scene after committing the crime. A heavy contingent of police and security forces reached the spot and cordoned off the area.

The body was shifted to Sandeman Hospital in Quetta where doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival. The victim received 12 bullets in the upper torso that caused his instant death, doctors said.

“Shahnawaz Khan offered Fajr prayers and left the house for a routine morning walk,” relatives told the police.

“Khan was part of the CID team investigating several high-profile cases. The police will conduct an in-depth investigation into his murder,” Inspector General Balochistan Rao Muhammad Amin Hashim told reporters.

According to sources, Khan was deputy head of Balochistan’s CID, which works exclusively on cases dealing with terrorism and sectarian violence.

DIG Investigation Hamid Shakil said Khan received threats from different militant groups. However, he did not disclose names of these groups.

“Several senior police officers received threats to their lives in recent weeks by banned outfits,” a senior officer said on condition of anonymity. “A banned religious group is constantly threatening after some suspects were killed and some were arrested,” he added. The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) spokesperson Abu Bakar Sadiq Jhangvi accepted responsibility for the death of CID official Khan, adding that the LeJ will not spare anyone who kills their members.

Funeral prayers for the slain police officer were offered in Police Line Quetta in the presence of IG Balochistan, Quetta Commissioner Qambar Dashti and other senior officials. A team of senior police officers has been formed to investigate the incident.

DC Panjgur’s office targeted

The office of the deputy commissioner of Panjgur district in West Balochistan was targeted via a remote controlled bomb on Tuesday. Unidentified assailants planted the explosive device on a motorcycle and parked it on the premises’ parking lot, Assistant Commissioner Yunus Baloch said. “Three vehicles and several motorcycles were damaged in the explosion. The windowpanes of the office and nearby buildings smashed on impact,” Baloch added.

However, no loss of life was reported in the blast. Balochistan Levies personnel and security forces cordoned off the area and launched an investigation. “The blast appeared to be a warning rather than an attempt to kill government officials,” a senior investigator claimed on condition of anonymity. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2012.