NA committee seeks protection for Kharotabad witnesses

IG Balochistan warned on future transgression; security requested for witnesses of Kharotabad killing.

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly's (NA) standing committee on Human Rights has asked the Inspector General (IG) of Balochistan to provide security to witnesses of the Kharotabad killings.

The committee also warned him that in the future the organisation head will be held responsible for any transgression by uniformed personnel.

The committee met on Tuesday in Islamabad and took notice of the beating of Dr Baqar Shah, the police surgeon who had conducted the autospy of the foreigners killed in Kharotabad incident and testified before the inquiry tribunal that they were killed by gun shots.

The committee also asked the IG Balochistan to submit a report on the beating of the surgeon by policemen. They held the provincial Home ministries of Balochistan and Sindh responsible for negligence and recommended closing down the two provincial human rights ministries, which had not taken any cognizance of the incidents in their respective provinces.

BHC takes notice

Chief Justice, Balochistan High Court, also took suo motu notice of the police torture on the police surgeon and will hear the case tomorrow.

Earlier, yesterday, the police surgeon was attacked by 10 people while he was visiting a restaurant on Prince Road. He was dragged outside and beaten up as he tried to put up a resistance. His wounds were so severe that he had to be rushed to the civil hospital.

The IG Balochistan taking notice of the torture, had suspended the two Station House Officers of the police station where the incident took place and asked the officials to present a report on the incident.

Dr Baqar is not the only witness fearing for his safety but the taxi driver, in whose vehicle the foreigners were travelling, had also testified before the tribunal that his passengers were unarmed and feared reprisal from the police while earlier the camera man, who filmed the shooting of foreigners was also released by policemen after keeping him detained for over an hour.