The week was no different from the recent ones as the episodes of violence continued to haunt the province. The highlight of the week was the target killing of a lecturer of Balochistan University teacher, Mohammad Danish Alam, by unknown assailants in the Zarghoonabad area of Quetta on Novermber 29. Moreover, a 10-year-old boy, identified as Bahar Khan Bugti, was also killed in a landmine explosion in Hafat Wali area of Dera Bugti District on December 2.
In an incident of honor killing, a man killed his sister and another man, on account of having illicit relations, in the Usta Mohammad area of Jaffarabad, said the police on Saturday, December 3. In sum, seven people were killed during this week in acts of violence.
Three dead bodies of missing persons were also found in Sharag area of the Harnai District on December 1.
Keeping in view the worst law and order situations in Balochistan, the vacant police posts were filled up to boost the strength of police and to improve the law and order situation but because of the ongoing spat of target and extra- judicial killings, kidnapping and dumping of mutilated bodies, twenty five senior police officers have refused to join their duties in Balochistan. When contacted, the Chief Secretary of the province, Mir Ahmad Bakhsh Lehri, declared the police refusal as unfortunate, as maintenance of law and order and security was everyone’s collective responsibility. Balochistan government has decided, on December 4, to file complaint against those police officers in the Center.
On political front, an American aircraft reached Pakistan on, December 4, to take back its nationals to America from the vacated Shamsi Airbase.
On economic front, the TCC (Tethyan Copper Company), which owns a gigantic copper- gold project in Balochistan, has opted for international arbitration, on November 29, to ensure or protect its rights in the project after the Balochistan government rejected its mining lease application.
Week in Review
a) Acts of Terrorism/Subversions and Abductions
A suspected suicide bomber was killed near the Kuchlak area of Quetta on Tuesday, November 29, when his explosive-filled jacket exploded. Superintendent of Police (SP), Malik Arshid told the media that the bomber hired a taxi cab and wanted to go to Chaman, a town bordering Afghanistan, with intention of targeting someone but his suicide vest went off.[1]
A lecturer of Balochistan University was killed by unknown attackers in the Zarghoonabad area of Quetta on November 29. Mohammad Danish Alam, a lecturer of the Science Information and Technology Depart ment, was travelling on a motorbike and when gunmen opened fire on him, near his university, and killed him on the spot and escaped.[2]
Two Pakistanis were purportedly gunned down by NATO forces in the Bibijan area of Afghanistan, which borders the Chagai district of Balochistan on December 1. Balochistan Leviesconfirmed the incident and said that the that two men had been shot dead in the Helmand province of Afghanistan on Thursday morning. The relatives told the local journalists that the two men went to visit their relatives living inside Afghanistan from Chagai, when NATO forces opened fire on them, killing both immediately.[3]
Academics condemned the targeted killing of their fellow Mohammad Danish, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants near his residence in Nawa Killi on Tuesday, December 1.
Three dead bodies of truck drivers were found in Sharag area of the Harnai District on December 1. The victims were among the four truck drivers abducted from the District on an unspecified date. Reportedly, one of them was freed who reached home in an injured condition, the sources added. The deceased were identified as Abdul Rehman, Ghulam Haider and Mohammad Hasan.[4]
In a commemorative plaque held at Balochistan University auditorium on Friday, December 2, senior professors and lecturers paid tribute to the slain lecturer, who rendered his services for seven years at the science and information technology department. Kaleemullah Badech, president of the Academic Staff Association Balochistan said that five lecturers and professors had been killed in incidents of targeted killing since 2008.[5]
A 10-year-old boy, identified as Bahar Khan Bugti, was killed when a landmine exploded in Hafat Wali area of Dera Bugti District on December 2.[6]
A man gunned down his sister and another man, on suspicion of illegitimate relations, in the Usta Mohammad area of Jaffarabad, police said on Saturday, December 3. According to the police, the accused Imtiaz Ahmed killed his sister and another man identified as Raja. The accused managed to escape from the scene. The dead bodies were handed over to the relatives for burial. Case has been registered and investigation is underway.[7]
Balochistan government decided, on December 4, to write to the Centre against outright refusal of 25 senior officers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab for not reporting to the Balochistan police despite passage of almost two months, following the issuance of their posting orders. A top official in Balochistan said: “This is unusual and unprecedented in the history of Police Services of Pakistan that posting orders of these officers were issued, they received these but declined to join the department in the province”. Grim security situation is blamed for the embarrassing development, as the police officers, coming from other provinces are paid double salary and they enjoy more facilities than their local colleagues but this has also failed to attract them.Chief Secretary of the province, Mir Ahmad Bakhsh Lehri, when asked to comment on the police officers– refusal, said this was unfortunate, as maintenance of law and order and security was collectively everybody responsibility.[8]
b) Political Front
An American aircraft reached Pakistan on Sunday, December 4, for the US nationals who are vacating Shamsi Airbase in Balochistan. Shamsi airbase is located about 300 kilometers from Quetta and has been used by Americans as a key launching pad to carry out drone attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan tribal areas. Pakistan demanded US to vacate the base within 15 days in the backdrop of NATO air strikes inside Pakistan territory which killed 24 soldiers including two military officers on November 26. The American soldiers boarded the aircraft under strict security measures and the local residents were not allowed during that process to leave their homes.[9]
c) Economic Front
Tethyan Copper, which owns the enormous Reko Diq copper-gold project in the Balochistan, said, on November 29, that it has begun international arbitration proceedings in order to protect its rights after the province rejected its mining lease application. Tethyan, a joint-venture between Chile Antofagasta and Canada Barrick Gold, said it has begun arbitration proceedings, but it remains open to an ‘amicable, negotiated resolution to the dispute.’[10]
[1] Suspected suicide bomber killed near Kuchlak–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/299484/suspected-suicide-bomber-killed-near-kachlak/
[2]Balochistan University lecturer killed in Quetta–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/299504/balochistan-university-lecturer-killed-in-quetta/
[3] Two Pakistanis killed by NATO forces in Afghanistan: Locals–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/300618/two-pakistanis-killed-by-nato-forces-in-afghanistan-locals/
[4] Three dead bodies found in Balochistan–, athttp://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news3.asp?date3=2011%2F12%2F02&image2.x=1&image2.y=0#3
[5]Professors, lecturers protest teacher killing–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/301495/professors-lecturers-protest-teachers-killing/
[6] Boy killed in landmine blast in Balochistan–, at http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news3.asp?date3=2011%2F12%2F03&image2.x=5&image2.y=7#3
[7] Honour killing: Man kills sister over suspicion–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/301722/honour-killing-man-kills-sister-over-suspicion/
[8] 25 police officers refuse to join duty in Balochistan–, athttp://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=80793&Cat=6
[9] US begins vacating Shamsi airbase–, athttp://tribune.com.pk/story/302087/us-begins-vacating-shamsi-airbase/
[10]Tethyan begins arbitration over Reko Diq project dispute–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/299438/tethyan-begins-arbitration-over-reko-diq-project-dispute/