Khuzdar mass grave: Judicial commission’s report unsatisfactory, says HRCP

Zohra Yusuf says report failed to pin responsibility

QUETTA: A fact-finding mission of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has termed the judicial commission’s report on the grisly discovery of mass grave in Khuzdar as unsatisfactory as it failed to identify those responsible for the killings.

Addressing a news conference at Quetta Press Club on Sunday, HRCP Chairperson Zohra Yusuf told reporters that there was nothing in the judicial report and it could not identify those responsible for these brutal killings and the dumping of bodies in unmarked graves in Tutak area of Khuzdar.

“Not all bodies have been identified. Merely three out of 17 bodies have been identified so far. The government has also not allowed the HRCP mission to visit the site, despite several written and verbal requests,” she said, adding that it was ‘just another’ judicial report.

She said up to 40 mutilated bodies were recovered from different parts of Balochistan this year, but not a single murder case was properly investigated.

“The illegal practice of enforced disappearance, which is a gross human rights violation not just under international human rights law but also totally unacceptable under the laws of Pakistan is continuing,” said the mission’s report – which was unveiled before the media by the HRCP chief.

It pointed out a decline in enforced disappearances in some areas, but conceded that cases continued to be reported from Makran division where an alarming number of mutilated bodies were found.

The report said the deteriorating law and order situation and persecution had forced around 200,000 Hazaras, 100,000 settlers, 10,000 Hindus and hundreds of Christians to migrate from Balochistan. There was also a huge migration of Baloch families from Makran and other regions due to the law and order situation.

“Religious minorities feel threatened and are nostalgic about the safety and peace they enjoyed in the province not too long ago. They listed forced conversion, targeted killings and kidnapping for ransom as grave concerns,” the report said.

Similarly, the Zikris fear that attacks against them will increase both in frequency and intensity. “The Hazaras continued to be victims of violence and threats. Those involved in killing the Hazaras continued to escape justice.”

The fact-finding mission   was alarmed at the growing radicalisation in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2014.