The episodes of violence and atrocities continued with the same pace and frequency this week with no signs of improvements in law and order situation in Balochistan. Four people, including a commander of the pro-government Amn Force (Peace Force), were killed during a clash with the militants of Baloch Republican Army (BRA) near Sui area of Dera Bugti district, on October 31. Similarly, unidentified gunmen attacked Frontier Corps (FC) convoy with a remote control bomb near Nasirabad area of Turbat, on November 2. In sum, ten people were killed during the week in acts of terrorism. Twelve dead bodies of missing persons were also found during the week.
On political front, Balochistan High Court ordered the government, on November 1, to ensure the extradition of former President Pervez Musharraf, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and former Home Minister of Balochistan, Shoaib Ahmed Nosherwani, in murder case of former CM Balochistan, Nawab Akbar Bugti.
Chief Minister Balochistan, Nawab Aslam Raisani, on November 4, said that an independent Balochitsan is not a practical solution and suggestion and those who see this dream are living in a fool paradise. Such a dream would leave the province in a bloodbath and the government cannot allow such a thing to happen.
Moreover, the arrest warrant for the former Chief Minister of Balochistan, Jam Muhammad Yousaf, was issued on November 4 in Nawab Akbar Bugti case.
Week in Review
a) Acts of Terrorism/Subversions and Abductions
Jama–at-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Panjgur General Secretary, Hafiz Ahtishamul Haq, was shot dead in Kori Koran area of Panjgur District on October 30 (reported in the press on October 31). Police sources said that unidentified armed militants opened fire at the JUI-F leader while he was standing outside his house.[1]
At least four people, including a commander of the pro-government Amn Force (Peace Force), identified as Nabi Daid, were killed and five others injured during a clash with the militants of Baloch Republican Army (BRA) near Sui area of Dera Bugti District on Monday, October 31. A BRA spokesperson, Sarbaz Baloch, said his organization ambushed the vehicle of the force near Sui.[2]
At least two personnel of the Frontier Corps (FC) were killed and six others injured when their vehicle was attacked with a remote control bomb near the Nasirabad area of Turbat on Wednesday, November 2. According to official sources, an FC convoy was on its way from Turbat to Tump, a town sharing its border with Iran, when it was hit by a remotely-controlled device planted by unidentified people along the road near the Nodez area.[3]
Police recovered seven bodies from various areas of Balochistan over the past two days. During the regular patrolling, police recovered three bodies on November 3 from Turbat and Khuzdar. The bodies were identified to be of Abdul Samad (from Khuzdar) and Gohram and Ayam (from Turbat). Earlier on Wednesday, four mutilated bodies were found from Windar Town of Lasbela, Dusht Town of Mastung and from Gwadar.[4]
Four bullet-riddled bodies were found in Turbat, Pasni and Khuzdar areas of Balochistan on November 4. Two of the men were identified as students while the other two were activists of the Baloch Student Organisation (BSO-Azad). Since June 2010, 230 bodies have been found in Balochistan and nationalist parties along families of victims suspect the security agencies of their involvement in abduction and killing incidents. Advocacy groups, such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, have also blamed military intelligence agencies.[5]
Basant Lal, a paint shop owner, was on his way to his home on Saryab Road from Liaquat Bazaar when a group of armed men intercepted him, shoved him into a vehicle and sped off, on November 5. An FIR was registered at the local police station against unidentified persons.[6]
Two Levies Force personnel were killed and four others injured in an armed attack on their check post in the coalmine area of Margat and Marwar in Bolan District of Balochistan, on November 5.[7]
A man became victim to his own terror plot on Saturday when the explosives he was planting went off prematurely near Hazara Town on Saturday, November 5. Hazara Town is a suburb in Quetta with a high density of minority Hazaras. ‘The man wanted to place the explosive somewhere in Hazara Town, however, it detonated near the drain line, killing the man instantly,’ Saddar police Superintendent Malik Arshad said.[8]
Javed Naseer Rind name was added to the list of more than 10 journalists whose bodies have been found tortured and dumped in Balochistan, on November 6. Said to be in his mid-twenties, Rind bullet-riddled body was found dumped in Khuzdar, about 300 kilometers south of Quetta. He was a senior sub editor at a local daily Tawar, a pro-nationalist newspaper.[9]
c) Political Front
The Balochistan High Court (BHC), on November 1, ordered the Government to extradite former President Pervez Musharraf, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and former Home Minister of Balochistan Shoaib Ahmed Nosherwani in the murder case of Nawab Akbar Bugti (former CM and governor of Balochistan). The arrest warrants against them were issued earlier on October 29, 2011. Nawab Bugti was killed along with his 35 comrades in a military action, on August 26 2006, in the mountainous Bhamboor Range near District Dera Bugti.[10]
Denying any prior knowledge of Nawab Akbar Bugti killing and absolving the federal government of blame, former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said, on November 3, that law and order is a provincial subject. In a letter sent from Dubai to the Provincial Police Officer on October 31, Aziz stated that he had mentioned in the FIR registered at the Dera Bugti Police Station, on October 13 2009, that the then president, Pervez Musharraf, used him as part of a conspiracy to murder Akbar Bugti. He went on to state that he came to know of the ¿unfortunate and tragic incident– when it was broadcast on television.[11]
An independent Balochistan is not a practical proposition and will lead to bloodbath in the province, Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani said on November 4. ‘We have to find a way out within the ambit of Pakistan and the 1940 Lahore resolution,’ he said, while talking to a delegation of journalists at the CM Secretariat in Quetta. Raisani added that the government is ready to hold talks with Baloch leaders, but they (nationalist leaders) continue to demand independence and refuse to budge. ‘But independence will come at the cost of bloodbath civil strife.’ He added.[12]
The arrest warrant was issued on November 4 for the former Balochistan Chief Minister, Jam Muhammad Yousaf, who is nominated as the accused in the Nawab Akbar Bugti murder case. On request of the crime branch, the arrest warrant was issued and accepted by the court on Friday.[13]
[1] JUI-F General Secretary shot dead in Balochistan–, at http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news3.asp?date3=2011%2F10%2F31&image2.x=7&image2.y=4#3
[2] Four persons killed during clash in Balochistan–, at http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news3.asp?date3=2011%2F11%2F1&image2.x=4&image2.y=6#2
[3] Turbat Blast: Two security personnel killed–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/286894/turbat-blast-two-security-personnel-killed/
[4] Police recovers 7 bodies from Balochistan–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/287002/police-recovers-7-bodies-from-balochistan/
[5] Missing persons: Four more bodies found in Balochistan–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/287002/police-recovers-7-bodies-from-balochistan/
[6] Worrying trend: Hindu trader abducted from Quetta–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/287945/worrying-trend-hindu-trader-abducted-from-quetta/
[7] Four persons killed in Balochistan–, at http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news3.asp?date3=2011%2F11%2F6#2
[8] Instant Karma: Man falls victim to his own terror plot–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/288090/hazara-town-one-killed-in-quetta-explosion/
[9] Missing persons: Young journalist found dead in Khuzdar–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/288386/missing-persons-young-journalist-found-dead-in-khuzdar/
[10] BHC orders Government to extradite former President Pervez Musharraf and former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Nawab Akbar Bugti murder case–, at http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/detailed_news3.asp?date3=2011%2F11%2F2&image2.x=5&image2.y=6#15
[11] Akbar Bugti killing: Shaukat Aziz denies prior knowledge of operation–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/286890/akbar-bugti-killing-shaukat-aziz-denies-prior-knowledge-of-operation/
[12]A separate Balochistan is not practical: CM–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/287476/a-separate-balochistan-is-not-practical-cm/
[13] Bugti murder case: Court issues arrest warrant for former CM Jam Yousaf–, at http://tribune.com.pk/story/287553/bugti-murder-case-court-issues-arrest-warrant-for-former-cm-jam-yousaf/