Crime Investigation Department: Clues to Mastung attack case found, BHC told

Balochistan AG tells court details can’t be shared since investigations are ongoing.

QUETTA: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) team tasked to investigate the Mastung bus attack informed the Balochistan High Court (BHC) that they had collected important clues into the recent incident that claimed the lives of 29 Hazara pilgrims.

The Balochistan advocate general submitted the CID’s investigation report to the division bench comprising Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Abdul Qadir Mengal during the suo motu case hearing on Tuesday.

As many as 26 Hazara pilgrims were killed near Mastung when a group of armed men intercepted a passenger bus en route to Iran from Quetta. After identifying the pilgrims as Hazaras, they killed all 26 of them. Later, the armed men also targeted the vehicle engaged in the rescue operation, killing three more Hazaras.

Balochistan Advocate General Amanullah Kanrani told the court that progress has been made in the investigation and investigators had found important clues, adding however, that since the inquiry was ongoing, it would not be appropriate to disclose the information before the open court.

The Frontier Corps (FC) also submitted before the court that they had not been asked to provide any sort of assistance in the case. Commenting on this, the court observed that although the Balochistan government had restored the Levies, it had not trained the force to prevent terrorism and properly investigate mass killings. “The Levies force has major flaws and the government should try to overcome this setback.” The court adjourned the hearing till November 23.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2011.