Sibi Deaths: HRCP alarmed by protesters’ killing

LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed serious concern over the death of two men in Sibi on Saturday after security forces opened fire on a demonstration against the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti’s kin in Karachi last week. “HRCP regrets the deaths and injuries among demonstrators in Sibi when FC personnel opened fire on them,” said a statement by the organisation. “Such use of force plays into the hands of those who want the situation to aggravate in the province,” it added. The statement emphasised that the authorities must exhaust all possible options before resorting to the use of lethal force. It welcomed the government’s decision to hold a judicial probe into the matter and expressed the hope that unlike earlier probes, the findings of this one would be made public.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7^th, 2012.