Balochistan unrest: 7 bullet-riddled bodies found in Quetta, Pishin

Quetta blast kills policeman; nearly a dozen militants nailed in search operations

QUETTA: At least seven bullet-riddled bodies were found in two cities of Balochistan on Tuesday. According to police officer Shaukat Jadoon, some passers-by spotted four bodies dumped near a tube-well in Killi Shabo neighbourhood on Airport Road, in Quetta and reported to the police.

The bodies were driven to the Civil Hospital where medics said the victims – identified as Malik Asif Kansi, Khan Muhammad, Palwasha and Saleha – were shot multiple times.

“Preliminary investigation suggests the victims – two men and as many women – were killed over some family feud,” a police officer said, adding that they have registered a case and further investigation is ongoing.

Separately, three bodies were found dumped in the Ajram area near Ghulistan in Pishin district. “The bodies were shifted to the Civil Hospital Quetta to determine their identities,” Deputy Commissioner Pishin Abdul Wahid Kakar said. Medics said the victims were shot in the dead at point blank range. It was immediately not known who killed them and why.

Remote control blast

In other violence, a police constable was killed and four others were wounded in a remotely detonated bomb blast in Quetta.

According to DIG Quetta Chaudhry Manzoor Sarwar, police received information about some suspicious items lying inside a vehicle parked near the Gwalmandi police station.

“A local police constable tried to check the suspected object before the arrival of the bomb disposal squad and all of a sudden a blast occurred,” he said, adding that the constable died on the spot and four others, including a policeman and a child, were wounded. “It was a time device weighing four to five kilos,” the DIG said.

Meanwhile, at least 11 militants, including a local commander of a banned separatist group, were arrested after a gunfight in Kharan district.

“Eight militants, including a local commander of the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) were arrested after an exchange of fire during a search operation,” said the Frontier Corps (FC) spokesman. A cache of weapons and two motorcycles were also recovered from their possession.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2015.