According to statistics released by Balochistan Home Department, as many as 129 bullet-riddled bodies were found in Balochistan in 2015, as compared to the 164 dead bodies that were reported to be found during 2014.
Some 46 of these bodies were found in Quetta, 28 in Kalat division (which includes Khuzdar and Mastung districts), 28 in Makran division (comprising Panjgur, Gwadar and Turbat districts), fourteen in Naseerabad division, 9 in Zhob district and four in Sibi Division.
The report, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, said 40 of the victims were identified as ethnic Baloch, 21 as Pashtuns, 12 from other ethnic groups while 56 victims could not be identified.
Targeted and sectarian killing
The Home Department report claimed that targeted killings dropped by over 37% in 2015 as around 198 people were killed and 304 injured in targeted attacks, while there had been 275 such killings in 2014.
Among the victims of targeted attacks, 21 were from the Hazara community, 36 were police officials, 21 were Frontier Corps personnel, 3 were Balochistan Levies officials and 36 were settlers. Similarly, three people were killed in attacks on passenger trains.
Attacks on Frontier Corps
Meanwhile, another report issued by Frontier Corps Balochistan (FC) on Thursday said the paramilitary force was attacked approximately 941 times in 2015.
In these attacks, 43 FC soldiers were killed and 112 sustained injuries. In retaliatory actions, 253 militants were also killed and 52 were injured.
Acting on tipoffs, the FC launched numerous search operations mostly in restive parts of the province and recovered large cache of explosives and arms. “112,171 difference ammunitions, 1,840 sophisticated weapons, 14,097kg explosive material were confiscated from militants,” the report said.
The FC apprehended dozens of terrorists and criminals and handed them over to the civil administration. It also took strict action against smugglers and arrested 18 notorious criminals till end of 2015,
“Following the Anti-Drug Act, the FC recovered 399kg heroin, 41,051kg cannabis, 7,087kg opium, 670 bottles of wines and illicit chemicals worth of billions in international market,” the annual report read.
Bombings, rocket attacks
At least 162 bombings were reported across Balochistan this year. At least 47 people were killed and 217 were injured in the explosions. Moreover, two persons were killed and 12 were wounded in around 151 rocket attacks.
There have been 52 landmine blasts which claimed 15 lives and injured 56 people. Nineteen animals also got killed in these attacks. Fifty four hand grenade attacks were also reported in 2015 in which two people were killed and seven were wounded.
According to report, gas pipelines were targeted 35 times, while railway tracks were dynamited seven times in 2015. During the year, 26 electricity pylons were damaged or destroyed in subversive attacks.
Attack on polio teams
In Balochistan, only one case of attack on polio workers was reported in 2015. In this attack, which was carried out in February, armed terrorists kidnapped three polio workers and later dumped their bodies in Murgha Kibzai area of Zhob.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2016.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ