Executive Summary:
The Balochistan High Court disqualified Senator Mohammad Ali Rind from holding any public office on August 26, in connection with corruption charges leveled against him in his nomination papers for Senate elections in 2009. Rind was elected as a senator in 2009 on the ticket of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-Awami). The court declared that Rind would no longer be a senator under the Constitution of Pakistan. Moreover, the investigation team tasked to conduct an inquiry into the Nawab Akbar Bugti (former Chief Minister and governor of Balochistan) murder case has contacted media organizations on August 25 in order to seek help for collecting evidence and operation footage. Inspector General of Frontier Corps Balochistan Major-General Obaidullah Khan, while speaking to media on August 25 said that the government is in the process of negotiating with Baloch rebels to maintain peace in the province. The IG added: ‘We will not allow the creation of a state within a state, nor will anyone be permitted to challenge the writ of the government’.
A US spy plane was surveying the Pak- Afghan border when it crashed near the Pishin Scouts compound in Chaman (75 kilometers northwest of provincial capital), 300 meters inside Pakistani territory in Balochistan on August 25.
At least three people were killed and 19 others injured when a group of armed men opened fire and launched rockets on a passenger train near Mach Town, some 60 kilometers southeast of Quetta on Sunday, August 28. On total, 8 people lost their lives in various acts of terrorism this week. While in acts of sabotage and subversion, 19 NATO oil tankers were set ablaze in the Dasht area, about 15 kilometers from Quetta, when a group of armed men on motorbikes opened indiscriminate fire on Monday, August 22, on containers.
While on economic front, in funds allocated for the Drought Recovery Assistance Program Project (DRAPP) in Balochistan during fiscal year 2008-09, embezzlements and irregularities worth Rs57.4 million were uncovered on August 24.
Week in Review
a) Political Front
The Balochistan government has requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to quickly complete the voters– lists so that the local bodies– elections could be held in the province, according to the officials on Sunday, August 21. Interestingly, Balochistan appears to be the only province which seems comfortable with the concept of the local government system.[1]
A mere ten out of 65 legislators attended the Balochistan Assembly session on Monday, compelling the deputy speaker to adjourn the proceedings which lasted less than five minutes. The scheduled session was to approve a resolution pertaining to the 18th amendment, through which the provincial government could obtain power over ministries devolved to the provinces.[2]
The investigation team tasked to conduct an inquiry into the Nawab Akbar Bugti (former Chief Minister and governor of Balochistan) murder case reached out to various media organizations on August 25, to seek help in collecting evidence. The officer in-charge of the investigation team from the Crime Branch, Balochistan, sent letters to news channels and offices of newspapers in Quetta, seeking footages pertaining to Nawab Bugti murder case to include them as evidence.[3]
Inspector General of Frontier Corps Balochistan Major-General Obaidullah Khan said while speaking to media, on August 25 that the government is in the process of negotiating with Baloch rebels to maintain peace in the province. The IG added: ‘ We will not allow the creation of a state within a state, nor will anyone be permitted to challenge the writ of the government.’[4]
A US spy plane was surveying the Pak- Afghan border when it crashed near the Pishin Scouts compound in Chaman (75 kilometers northwest of provincial capital), 300 meters inside Pakistani territory in Balochistan on August 25. Frontier Constabulary officials confirmed the crash and said that they had taken custody of the drone wreckage.[5]
The Balochistan High Court permanently disqualified Senator Mohammad Ali Rind from holding any public office on August 26, citing his failure to state facts about his conviction in corruption cases in his nomination papers for Senate elections in 2009. Rind was elected a senator in 2009 on the ticket of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-Awami). The court declared that Rind could not continue as senator under the Constitution of Pakistan.[6]
A complete shutter-down strike was observed in Dadhar on Saturday, August 27 in protest of the abduction of a Hindu trader. Gur Bakhsh Lal was kidnapped from near a police checkpoint on Friday night when he was on his way home after closing his shop in the Ali Rind area. Police officials said that it was an incident of kidnapping for ransom. All shops and markets remained closed in Dadhar in response to the strike call given by the traders– association.[7]
Two trucks laden with explosives and headed towards Harnai, Balochistan, were seized by Border Military Police on Saturday, August 27, after the drivers failed to produce a license for transporting the material. The drivers were arrested under Explosives Act. The men identified as Muhammad Sadiq, a resident of Chakwal, and Atta Rasool, a resident Khushab, said they were assigned to carry the explosives to Harnai in Balochistan. They said the explosives were to be used in mining operations of a gas exploration company.[8]
b) Acts of Terrorism/Subversions
Around 40 Nato oil tankers were parked near a fuel station close to a police check post on the National Highway, near the Dasht area, when a group of armed men on motorbikes opened indiscriminate fire on Monday, August 22, and set 19 oil tankers ablaze. However, no casualty was reported.[9]
Balochistan Levies said on Wednesday, August 24, that the three men came to Kangri area of Musa Khel from adjoining Dera Ghazi Khan for hunting.The gunmen opened fire on the hunting party, killing all three. 132 empty bullet casings were found from the crime scene, according to the Levies officials. Two of the deceased were identified as Syed Nadeem and Sajjad.[10]
Unidentified armed assailants barged into a bakery on August 24, near Chaman Housing Scheme in provincial capital Quetta. They opened fire on bakers inside and then escaped on their motorbikes. Two people were killed in the bullet barrage identified as Saleem and Sajjid while injured were identified as Mansoor Ali, Asif, Shahid and Sajjad. The deceased originally belonged to Punjab and Sindh respectively. It could be an act of target killing, according to police officials.[11]
At least three people were killed and 19 others injured when a group of armed men opened fire and lobbed rockets on a passenger train near Mach Town, some 60 kilometers southeast of Quetta on Sunday, August 28. Qaim Ali, the assistant commissioner of Mach, told reporters that the Peshawar-bound Quetta Express had just crossed Irak Station in Kachhi district, popularly known as Bolan, when it came under heavy attack. A banned outfit, the Baloch Liberation Army, claimed the responsibility for the incident.[12]
c) Human Rights Report Submitted to Senate
A report regarding kidnapping incidents in Balochistan in 2011 was submitted to the Senate Functional Committee for Human Rights, headed by Awami National Party (ANP) leader Afrasiab Khattak on Wednesday, August 24. The report revealed that 156 people were kidnapped from different areas of the province in 2011 out of which 86 were recovered. 41people were kidnapped for ransom out of which 33 were recovered. Moreover,433 women were killed in different parts of the country in the name of honour, out of which 227 belonged to Punjab while 142 belonged to Sindh.[13]
d) Economic Front
Embezzlements and irregularities worth Rs57.4 million were uncovered in funds on August, 24 allocated for the Drought Recovery Assistance Program Project (DRAPP) in Balochistan during fiscal year 2008-09. This program was made for drought hit Balochistan in 2005, to provide sustainable sources of drinking water, water conservation and management of sustainable livelihood, agriculture and livestock support, restoration of orchards and vegetative cover. The revelation was made in the audit report of Auditor General of Pakistan which was released a few days ago. The report says that the federal government allocated and released Rs285.38 million for the project. Expenses worth Rs255.938 million were incurred, while Rs29.445 million had not been spent. The amount refuted in the audit report was stated to be Rs57.42 million.[14]
[1] Democratic process: Balochistan seeks quick completion of voters– list–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/236727/democratic-process-balochistan-seeks-quick-completion-of-voters-list/
[2] Balochistan Assembly: Absence of lawmakers delays resolutions–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/237467/balochistan-assembly-absence-of-lawmakers-delays-resolutions/
[3] Bugti murder: Footages sought for inclusion as evidence–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/239143/bugti-murder-footages-sought-for-inclusion-as-evidence/
[4] Baloch insurgency: ¿Supporters of the state will be welcomed–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/239033/baloch-insurgency-supporters-of-the-state-will-be-welcomed/
[5] US reconnaissance drone crashes in Chaman–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/239387/us-reconnaissance-drone-crashes-in-chaman/
[6] Corruption cases: Rind disqualified for concealing facts–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/239540/corruption-cases-rind-disqualified-for-concealing-facts/
[7] Kidnapping for ransom: Dadhar shutdown after Hindu trader abduction–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/240993/kidnapping-for-ransom-dadhar-shutdown-after-hindu-traders-abduction/
[8] Illegal movement: Two trucks carrying explosives seized–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/240811/illegal-movement-two-trucks-carrying-explosives-seized/
[9] 19 NATO oil tankers torched in Balochistan–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/236927/19-nato-oil-tankers-torched-in-balochistan/
[10] Hunters from DG Khan killed in Balochistan–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/238482/hunters-from-dg-khan-killed-in-balochistan/
[11] Two killed and four injured in attack on bakery–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/239191/slug-two-killed-and-four-injured/
[12] Deadly ambush: Attack on Quetta Express leaves 3 dead, 19 injured–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/241110/five-killed-in-attack-on-quetta-express-in-bolan-area/
[13]Human rights violations: Report on Balochistan submitted to Senate–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/238351/human-rights-violations-report-on-balochistan-submitted-to-senate/
[14] Drought recovery funds for Balochistan embezzled–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/238073/drought-recovery-funds-for-balochistan-embezzled/