Executive Summary:
The week in focus was less violent compared to the previous one. Pakistan Army Chief of Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visit to Balochistan and the inauguration of the Garrison Sports Academy and Institute of Medical Sciences in Quetta on Monday, August 1 was the salient feature of the week. During the visit, Kayani underlined that the army had no role in abductions, dumping of mutilated bodies of Balochis and extra-judicial killings in the province.
US ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Munter, also visited the provincial capital Quetta this week and met with Balochistan Assembly Speaker, Mohammad Aslam Bhotani and Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani in Quetta on August 4. He highlighted the regional importance of Balochistan, announced financial assistance worth $100,000 to the SOS village in Quetta. The village is host to 70 orphans. Munter also offered condolences for Akmal Raisani, the nephew of chief minister Raisani. Quetta Electricity Supply Company Chief Engineer Operations and Maintenance, Abdul Rauf Baloch, who was abducted by unknown armed men from Satellite Town about two months ago was released on August 4. On the same day, security forces – police, anti-terrorism force and the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) conducted a major search operation against criminals in Killi Kamalo and Killi Qambarni areas of Saryab in Quetta and arrested more than 50 suspects. The operation was launched in the area after the sectarian clashes on July 29 and 30.
In its report, Amnesty International (AI) appealed for urgent action to save the lives of 10 detained Balochis on August 7, who face death risk, according to the rights group. Earlier the dead body of one of the detained persons was found in the Jabal-e-Noor area near Quetta on July 16. He was identified as an activist of the Baloch Student Organisation-Azad.
As a whole, as many as seven people fell to acts of terrorism and violence. And in acts of sabotage and subversion, two NATO oil tankers were torched by unknown armed men on August 4.
Week in Review
a) Political Front
The week began with an endeavor by the Army Chief Kayani to eschew the spiking complaints by the Baloch nationalists, family members of the missing people and human right groups about the suspicious role of security forces in ongoing heinous killing of missing persons. He also delineated the scope of military engagement in Balochistan, saying that army can not hold talks and negotiations with the ‘angry Baloch nationalists’ since it is the duty of the democratic government. While speaking to journalists at the inauguration of the Garrison Sports Academy and Institute of Medical Sciences in Quetta on Monday, August 1, he defended the role of the law enforcement agencies in Balochistan and dispelled the impressions that agencies are involved in the abductions, dumping of mutilated bodies of Balochis and extra- judicial killings in Balochistan.[1]
In a meeting with Balochistan assembly speaker, Mohammad Aslam Bhotani in Quetta on August 4, US ambassador to Pakistan, Cameron Munter said that Balochistan is very important for US and resolving all issues in the province is its top priority. He also assured the provincial government for US support for the construction of new dams. Balochistan Chief Minister in his meeting with Munter denied the presence of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Umar and Al-Qaeda Chief Zawahiri in Balochistan, as well as the existence of any Quetta Shura. US ambassador offered condolence for the killing of Akmal Raisani (CM nephew), who was killed in an attack while attending a football match in Mastung district on July 28. [2]
At least six people were injured when security forces used tear gas and led a baton-charge to disperse a demonstration held by around 400 people against unscheduled electricity load shedding in front of district Turbat grid station on Saturday, August 6. Demonstrators complained that 8 to 20 hours load shedding was being observed even in the holy month of Ramadan.[3]
b) Kharotabad Killings Case
In order to implement the recommendations made by the judicial tribunal about the Kharotabad incident, police department in Balochistan has turned to the law department to seek its advice. Earlier on four Russian citizens and 1 Tajik, (3 women and 2 men) were shot dead by security forces on May 27, 2011 near a security picket in Kharotabad area of Quetta. The judicial tribunal was set up to investigate the killings, earlier held former Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Quetta Dawood Junejo, Lt. Col. Frontier Corps Faisal Shehzad, former Station Head Officer (SHO) Airport Road Fazlur Rehman and Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Raza Khan responsible for the extrajudicial killings. [4]
b) Acts of Terrorism/Subversion
- On August 1, unknown militants detonated explosives in a garbage heap near Awami Petroleum Service Station on Sariab Road (in the outskirts of Quetta), injuring three garbage collectors, out of whom two succumbed to their injuries and died later on.
- Separately, the driver of a NATO oil tanker, identified as Sher Gul, was killed by unidentified militants in Dasht area of Mastung District while the tanker was on its way from Karachi to Kandahar.[5]
- On Tuesday, police, anti-terrorism force and FC personnel took part in a search operation against the criminals with air surveillance assistance in Killi Kamalo and Killi Qambarni areas of Saryab in Quetta, arresting more than 50 suspects. The operation was launched after two deadly sectarian incidents in the area on July 29 on Saryab Road, and July 30 on Sapni road, when gunmen killed 18 Shias.[6]
- Two Nato oil tankers were set ablaze by unknown armed men near Quetta on August 4. However no casualty was reported.[7]
- Zaheeruddin, an innocent citizen was killed when a roaming bullet fired from an unknown direction struck him in airport area in Quetta on August 4. Meanwhile, law enforcement personnel arrested a suspected person, identified as Ghulam Rasool, from Killi Baro of Sariab area and seized a Kalashnikov from him.[8]
- Quetta Electricity Supply Company Chief Engineer Operations and Maintenance Abdul Rauf Baloch, who was kidnapped by armed men from Satellite town around two months ago, returned home on Wednesday night[9] (reported in the press on August 5th).
- On Sunday August 7, SHO Tareen was returning home from police station in a police mobile when armed men on motorbikes ambushed him in Killi Shahnawaz area of Sayrab district, killing Tareen and two police constables on the spot while the assailants managed to escape.[10]
c) Financial Front
US ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter visited SOS children village in Quetta, which comprises five houses and hosts up to 70 orphans, on Wednesday, August 3, and announced $100,000 assistance to meet the needs of the village. While addressing children at the village, he said, ‘The US is ready to support organizations engaged in assisting orphans and other needy people,’ adding that US sponsored English language courses being taught in different parts of the country will soon be introduced in Balochistan as well.[11]
d) Social Front
Afghanistan is the largest illicit opium producer of the world, and allegedly children from some madrassahs in Balochistan are playing critical role in poppy fields. Being one of the world largest opium and heroin producer, the labor demand needed to cater to this extensive poppy harvesting and cultivation. And the labor demand is met through hundreds of madrassa students from Chaman and adjoining tribal regions of Balochistan in Afghanistan two major heroin-producing provinces of Helmand and Kandahar for the past three months, as stated in an exclusive Express Tribune report. According to report, each student earns $15 to $20 a day and they start working as soon as their madrassas are closed in the first week of June for the three-month summer break, says Saifur Rehman, a local social worker of Ziarat, who is well acquainted with many in the poppy harvesting workforce.[12]
e) Abductions
A US based human rights organization, Amnesty International (AI), appealed for urgent action to save the lives of 10 detained and missing Baloch persons on August 7, who face death risk according to the organization. According to AI, 29 men were taken into custody on February 18 during a Frontier Corps (FC) search operation in the town of Tutak, in Balochistan Khuzdar district. Security forces have already released 18 persons while the dead body of Maqsood Qalandarani, who was one of the abducted persons and an activist of the Baloch Student Organisation-Azad, was found near the Jabal-e-Noor area of Quetta on July 16. ‘And the remaining 10 will meet the fate of Maqsood,’ human rights group says.[13]
Conclusion
Balochistan remains in the grip of violence. Hard-line Baloch nationalists continue to target pro-government political activists. The para-military Frontier Corps also remains at the centre of the turmoil for alleged high-handed approach in quelling dissent. Although Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani dismissed such allegations during his visit to Quetta, the government and the security forces need to do much more than just issuing contradictions and reassurances. The Balochistan Rights– Package has yet to show its impact as far as alleviating Baloch grievances is concerned. Dialogue and development shall have to move in tandem if the government and the security establishment wants to ease nationalist insurgency pressures in Balochistan.
[1] Insurgency: ¿Govt, not army, should talk to angry Baloch nationalists–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/221948/no-army-operation-in-balochistan-general-kayani/
[2] Balochistan very important for America: US ambassador–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/224066/balochistan-very-important-for-america-us-ambassador/
[3] Six injured in Turbat protest–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/225947/six-injured-in-turbat-protest/
[4] Kharotabad killings: Balochistan police turn to law department for advice–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/222937/kharotabad-killings-balochistan-police-turn-to-law-department-for-advice/
[5] Three persons killed in separate incidents of violence in Balochistan–, athttp://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news3.asp?date3=2011%2F8%2F2&image2.x=-1&image2.y=4#5
[6] 50 suspects arrested in Quetta operation–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/222534/50-suspects-arrested-in-quetta-operation/
[7] Two Nato oil tankers torched in Dasht–, athttp://images.thenews.com.pk/04-08-2011/ethenews/e-61040.htm
[8] One person killed in Balochistan–, athttp://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news3.asp?date3=2011%2F8%2F5&image2.x=5&image2.y=6#3
[9] QESCO engineer released–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/224736/qesco-engineer-released/
[10] Three police officials gunned down in Quetta–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/226203/three-police-officials-gunned-down-in-quetta/
[11] SOS Village Quetta: US envoy gives $100,000 for orphans– support–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/224008/sos-village-quetta-us-envoy-gives-100000-for-orphans-support/
[12] Illicit drug production: Balochistan madrassa students harvest poppy on holidays–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/224821/illicit-drug-production-balochistan-madrassa-students-harvest-poppy-on-holidays/
[13] Detained and missing: Amnesty urges action to save 10 missing Baloch–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/226045/detained-and-missing-amnesty-urges-action-to-save-10-missing-baloch/