Ten suspects held in Jalib’s murder, but tensions remain

Police claimed to have arrested 10 suspects in connection with the assassination of former senator Habib Jalib Baloch.

As the situation across Balochistan remained tense, police on Thursday claimed to have arrested 10 suspects in connection with Wednesday’s assassination of former senator Habib Jalib Baloch.

Officials said policemen carried out raids in areas near Saryab Road, Killi Kamalo and Qambrani Road, apprehending the suspects for interrogation. While talking to The Express Tribune, Quetta City Police Chief Ghulam Shabbir Sheikh said that investigations are under way as the detained men are being questioned.

This may lead the police to the culprits involved in Jalib’s killing, he said. Sheikh also said that IG Balochistan has constituted an investigation team which comprises officers of the Crime Branch, CID and Special Branch. Referring to Baloch Musala Defa Organisation’s claim of killing Jalib, the police chief said, “Forming an organisation to claim responsibility for various crimes has become a routine matter. We have no leads on this organisation.”

Meanwhile, routine life remained paralysed across Balochistan a day after Jalib’s death.  In some instances, however, the RCD highway and other arteries were blocked from different directions by protesters who put up barricades and held demonstrations. Police fired tear gas on the protesters present at various places in order to disperse them as they set tyres on fire, disrupting vehicular traffic. Angry demonstrators also hurled stones at vehicles and buildings.

Also, a large number of police and anti terrorism force officials were deployed in important places in Quetta to deal with any untoward incident. No major incident took place in the provincial capital though, barring some minor clashes between law enforcement agencies and enraged protesters. Police also arrested around 40 people from different parts of the city. Those detained were forcing shopkeepers to pull down the shutters, a senior police officer told The Express Tribune. These individuals were later released.

In the wake of the volatile situation, all schools, colleges and universities were closed across the province. According to an official statement, these educational institutions will remain closed for two more days.

Lawyers too boycotted court proceedings across the province and all cases in sessions and before local magistrates were adjourned till the next hearing.

According to reports, the situation in Khuzdar, Mastung, Kalat, Lasbela, Turbat, Sibi, Bolan and other cities remained tense as people preferred to stay at home.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2010.