Inquiry Complete: Kharotabad killings report today

QUETTA: The judicial tribunal formed to investigate the killings of five Chechens in Kharotabad on May 17, will submit its report to the Balochistan government on Tuesday (today). The five victims, including three women and two men, were gunned downed by the Frontier Corps (FC) and police personnel near the FC picket in Kharotabad on May 17. Police and security forces alleged that the suspects, four Russians and a Tajik national, were wearing suicide jackets and carrying hand grenades or explosive materials. However, neither suicide jackets nor explosives were recovered from the suspects. The victims were shot at from very close range and a FC man was also killed in the incident. The Balochistan government constituted a judicial tribunal to investigate the killings. The tribunal during its month-long hearing recorded the statements of 28 witnesses, including FC and police personnel and private witnesses. Justice Hashim Kakar, head of the tribunal, after including his findings will submit the report to the government of Balochistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2011.