Two more missing persons found dead

Bodies found in isolated area called Ghanji Droi in Mastung.

QUETTA: Two more missing persons were found dead in an isolated area called Ghanji Dori in Mastung on Thursday morning. Both victims are young Baloch men and doctors said that their bodies bore torture marks and execution-style bullet wounds.

Faqir Mohammad Baloch was an employee of the Cadet College, Mastung, and Zahoor Baloch was a member of the central committee of the BSO’s Azad faction. Family members of both the deceased have accused security agencies of killing them in illegal detention.

Later, the corpses were shifted to Quetta for an autopsy before being handed over to their respective families.

The bodies were first spotted by local people who informed the police about their presence.

“Both victims received a single bullet in their heads which exited their skull. Their bodies had torture marks on their faces and other body parts,” hospital officials told The Express Tribune.

“Both victims are Baloch. We have previously received several corpses who had been killed in a similar manner,” an official said.

According to family members, Faqeer Mohammad Baloch was whisked away allegedly by security personnel near an FC checkpoint in Mastung on September 25 while he was on his way to the Cadet College. “My son was not alone at that time. They also detained one of his colleagues but later they released him after checking his national identity card,” Faqeer Mohammad’s mother said.

According to BSO-Azad’s spokesperson, Zahoor Baloch was picked up from the Mastung Bazaar in Ramazan.

Chairman of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, Nasrullah Baloch said that both victims were listed as missing for months. “Security personnel are involved in the killings of innocent Baloch people and the provincial government seems to be powerless and helpless,” he said, adding: “It is a matter of great concern that in Balochistan, rights of human beings are trampled by state functionaries but humanitarian organisations are not taking any action in this regard.” He claimed that around 32 dead bodies have so far been found since July 4 this year.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Home Secretary Akbar Durrani said that in most of the cases people did not launch the First Information Report (FIR), creating difficulties for law-enforcement agencies in apprehending culprits behind such crimes.

“The family members should cooperate with law-enforcement agencies because it will enable the government to take appropriate action against criminals.”

He said that although bullet-riddled bodies are being recovered from various districts, it cannot be said with certainty if all cases are linked.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2010.