Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information that in recent days illegal arrests, abduction, killings and disappearances by the law enforcement agencies have increased in Balochistan province after the announcement by the Federal Interior minister that a lesson must be taught to Balochi insurgents by any means necessary. The Frontier Corps, a para military organisation, and the military conducted an operation in the sub district of Mashkay and used helicopter gunships on the civilian areas to destroy the hideouts of insurgents and arrest their leaders.
The bullet riddled bodies of two student activists were found and around 20 persons are missing following the operation. Two children are also missing after being arrested along with their father from Wahejo town during the search operation. A doctor was abducted from his clinic on suspicion of providing treatment to the injured insurgents and since then his whereabouts are unknown. The ministers and a member of the provincial assemblies held walk outs from the assembly proceedings against the military operation. There are reports that many houses belonging to the activists were burnt during the operation.
CASE NARRATIVE:
Cases of abduction and killing of children by the law enforcement agencies were also reported in the media. On October 18 a young man, Master Abdul Majeed, aged 14, son of Haji Mohammad Ramzan Zehri, a well known trader, was abducted, allegedly by the Frontier Corps, as claimed by his family, and on 24 October his body was found in Koshak river at Khuzdar district. There were bullet wounds on his head and chest. He was an activist of the Baloch Student Organisation Azad and was a student in class eight.
Another student, Master Mohammad Khan Zohaib, aged 14, also an activist of Baloch Student Organisation Azad, was abducted in July by plain cloth persons riding in a black coloured Sarf pickup, which is generally used for abduction by the state intelligence agencies. His bullet riddled body was found In Khuzdar, Balochistan province, on 20 October. His family members claim that he was arrested by the personnel from Frontier Corp (FC) for having links with militants who are fighting for the greater autonomy of the province.
From Khuzdar city of Balochistan, a practicing doctor, Fazal Zehri, was abducted from his clinic by unknown persons on 24 October. His relatives claim that he was abducted by FC personnel who suspected that he was providing medical aid to injured Baloch insurgents at his clinic. His whereabouts are unknown since then. The clinic of the doctor is now under siege of law enforcement agencies.
On 2 October, Mr. Ahmed Dad Baloch of the Republican Party was whisked away by FC personnel with the help of police from Gwadar zero point. Ahmed Dad Baloch was travelling along with his family to Karachi on the Javed Coach. When the coach reached Zero point officials of the state intelligence agencies and police stopped it and Ahmed Dad being was taken off in front of his family and shifted him to unknown location. It is the fifth incident of abduction of political activists from Gwadar, Balochistan, during past some months. Previously, Abdul Rehman Arif, Mahboob Wadhela, Ramzan Baloch, Saeed Ahmed were abducted by the Pakistani military intelligence agencies.
The FC and army conducted the operation in Mashkay to search for the hideouts of Baloch insurgents who are fighting against the military control on their province. The Mashkay is the home town of one insurgent, Dr. Allah Nazar, and to arrest him and his companions the FC searched each house in Mehi, a small town of the district, and arrested around 20 persons and since then their whereabouts are also unknown. It is alleged by the nationalist groups that these people were arrested and tortured to provide the whereabouts of Dr, Allah Nazar and his associates. Meanwhile in Mehi, the birthplace of Dr. Alah Nazar Baloch school teacher Raza Mohammed Baloch, his relatives Adam Baloch, Aziz Baloch, Rasool Bux Baloch. Bashir Ahmed Baloch, a tailor and his two sons of aged 9 and 13 are also missing after arrest.
The ministers belonging to the Balochistan National Party (BNP-Awami), according to the Daily Express Tribune of October 15, staged a walkout from the Balochistan Assembly against what they called a massive operation launched in Awaran district by security forces without taking the provincial government into confidence.
They claimed that the operation had been launched on the orders of Interior Minister Rehman Malik. On a point of order, the Minister for Agriculture, Asad Baloch alleged that security forces have been carrying out massive search operations and undertaking air strikes in Mashkay tehsil of Awaran district for the past two days. The operation was aimed at finding and killing the nationalist guerrilla leader, Allah Nazar, who is supposed to be leading an insurgency in Mekran and Khuzdar divisions. Another minister for Social Welfare, Mir Asghar Rind, said that they are violating the sanctity of homes and insulting the people during their search. The gunship helicopters have also shelled the mountainous areas of Mashkay.
They accused that the Pakistani military forced the shopkeeper to open their shops for searching and some shopkeepers, who were not present lost their shops, as the soldiers torched them. Houses of the members of Baloch Student Organisation (Azad) Fida Baloch, Zahoor Baloch, Haroon Baloch, Mustafa Baloch and Gul Hassan Baloch were burned down. Family members of these students, including women and children, were humiliated in public and severely beaten on the roads.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities to stop military operation and enforced disappearances in Balochistan province. Please urge the authorities to release all persons who have been arbitrarily arrested, disappeared and held incommunicado by the law enforcement agencies and stop extra judicial killings. Also demand to release the missing children and prosecute the law enforcement personnel who are responsible of abduction and killings of boys.
The AHRC is writing a separate letter to UN special rapporteurs on the Question of arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearances calling for their intervention into this case.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PAKISTAN: The illegal arrests, abduction, killings and disappearances by the law enforcement agencies have increased in Balochistan province
Names of Disappeared Persons:
1. Master Abdul Majeed, aged 14 years, son of Haji Mohammad Ramzan Zehri, resident of Khuzdar, Khuzdar district, Balochistan province
2. Master Mohammad Khan Zohaib, aged 14 years, resident of Khuzdar, Khuzdar district, Balochistan Province
3. Dr. Fazal Zehri, aged 35 years, resident of Khuzdar, Khuzdar district, Balochistan Province
4. Mr. Ahmed Dad Baloch, Gwader, Balochistan province
5. Mr. Adam Baloch, resident of Mehi, Mashkay sub district, Awaran district, Balochistan Province
6. Mr. Aziz Baloch, resident of Mehi, Mashkay sub district, Awaran district, Balochistan Province
7. Mr. Rasool Bux Baloch, resident of Mehi, Mashkay sub district, Awaran district, Balochistan Province
8. Mr. Bashir Ahmed Baloch, a tailor by profesion,
9. Two sons of Mr. Bashir Ahmed Baloch aged 9 and 13 remain missing after their arrest from Balochistan Province
Houses of the following persons burned down
1. Mr. Zahoor Baloch
2. Mr. Haroon Baloch
3. Mr. Mustafa Baloch,
4. Mr. Gul Hassan Baloch
All are residents of Mehi, Mashkay sub district, Awaran district, Balochistan Province
Alleged perpetrators:
1. Frontier Corps
2. Pakistan Army
Date of incident: During the months of July, August and September 2010
Place of incident: Mashkay and Khuzdar districts of Balochistan province
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding continuous arbitrary arrests, disappearances, extra judicial killings and abductions by the Frontier Corp (FC) and army in the different parts of province of Balochistan.
I am also shocked to know that in sub district of Mashkay the gunship helicopters were used as reported in some sections of the media. This kind of act cannot be condoned by any civilized society where the gunship helicopters are used against the civilian population. Many persons, including minors, were arrested and are being held incommunicado by the supra constitutional forces.
I am also appalled that extrajudicial killings are continuing and in Khuzdar district of Balochistan two minors were killed extrajudicially by law enforcement agencies after their abduction.
I want to mention here the details of the atrocities conducted by FC and other law enforcement agencies in recent past;
On 18 October, 8 a young man, Master Abdul Majeed 14 son of Haji Mohammad Ramzan Zehri, a well known trader, was abducted allegedly by the Frontier Corp, as claimed by his family, and on 24 October his body was found in Koshak river at Khuzdar district. There were bullet wounds on his head and chest. He was the activist of Baloch Student Organisation Azad and was a student of class eight.
Another student, Master Mohammad Khan Zohaib, aged 14, activist of Baloch Student Organisation Azad, was abducted in month of July by plain clothed persons riding in a black coloured Sarf pickup, which is generally used for abduction by the state intelligence agencies. His bullet riddled body was found In Khuzdar, Balochistan province, on 20 October. His family members claim that he was arrested by the personnel from Frontier Corp (FC) for having links with militants who are fighting for the greater autonomy of the province.
From Khuzdar city of Balochistan, a practicing doctor, Fazal Zehri, was abducted from his clinic by unknown persons on October 24. His relatives claim that he was abducted by FC personnel who suspect him of treating injured Baloch insurgents at his clinic. His whereabouts are unknown since then. The clinic of the doctor is under siege of law enforcement agencies.
On 2 October, Mr. Ahmed Dad Baloch of Republican party was whisked away by FC with the help of police from Gwadar zero point. Ahmed Dad Baloch was travelling along his family to Karachi on Javed Coach, while coach reached to Zero point officials of state intelligence agencies and Police stopped the coach and Ahmed Dad being taken off from the coach in front of his family and shifted him to unknown location. It is the fifth incident of abduction of political activists from Gwadar, Balochistan, during past some months. Previously, Abdul Rehman Arif, Mahboob Wadhela, Ramzan Baloch, Saeed Ahmed abducted by the Pakistani military intelligence agencies.
The FC and army conducted the operation in Mashkay to search for the hideouts of Baloch insurgents who were fighting against the military control on their province. The Mashkay is the home town of one insurgent, Dr. Allah Nazar, and to arrest him and his companions the FC searched each house in Mehi, a small town of the district, and arrested around 20 persons and since then their whereabouts. It is alleged by the nationalist groups that these people were arrested and tortured to provide the whereabouts of Dr, Allah Nazar and his associates.
Meanwhile in Mehi, birthplace of Dr. Alah Nazar Baloch school teacher Raza Mohammed Baloch, his relatives Adam Baloch, Aziz Baloch, Rasool Bux Baloch. Bashir Ahmed Baloch, a tailor and his two sons of aged 9 and 13 were also missing after their arrest.
The ministers and members of the Balochistan assembly have protested against the military operation in Mashkay, sub district of Awaran, Balochistan province, wherein gunship helicopters and heavy machinery of army was used. The ministers belonging to the Balochistan National Party (BNP-Awami), according to the Daily Express Tribune of 15 October, staged a walkout from the Balochistan Assembly against what they called a massive operation launched in Awaran district by security forces without taking the provincial government into confidence.
They claimed that the operation had been launched on the orders of Interior Minister Rehman Malik. On a point of order, Minister for Agriculture, Asad Baloch alleged that security forces have been carrying out massive search operations and undertaking air strikes in Mashkay tehsil of Awaran district for the past two days. The operation is aimed at finding and killing a nationalist guerrilla leader, Allah Nazar, who is supposed to be leading an insurgency in Mekran and Khuzdar divisions. Another minister for Social Welfare, Mir Asghar Rind, said that they are violating the sanctity of homes and insulting the people during their search. The gunship helicopters have also shelled the mountainous areas of Mashkay.
They accuse that Pakistani military forced the shopkeepers to open their shops for searches and some shopkeepers who were not present lost their shops as the soldiers torched them. Houses of the members of Baloch Student Organisation (Azad) Fida Baloch, Zahoor Baloch, Haroon Baloch, Mustafa Baloch and Gul Hassan Baloch were burned down. Family members of these students, including women and children, were humiliated in public and severely beaten on the roads.
I am distressed that the FC and military are dealing with the Baloch people with bombardment and extra judicial killings with all impunity. No rule of law is seen in Balochistan. The police have become sub ordinate to the FC. Through the disappearances and killings the law enforcement agencies are behaving with the Baloch people as aliens.
I urge you to stop law enforcing authorities to stop military operation and enforced disappearances in Balochistan province. Also release all persons who have been arbitrarily arrested, disappeared and held incommunicado by the law enforcement agencies and stop extra judicial killings. Also I urge you to release the missing children and prosecute the law enforcement personnel who are responsible of abduction and killings of boys.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan
President’s Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9204801/9214171
Fax: +92 51 9207458
Email: publicmail@president.gov.pk
2. Mr. Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani
Prime Minister
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
Tel: +92 51 920 6111
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk
3. Mr. Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani
Federal Minister for Human Rights
Ministry of Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +9251-9204108
Email: sarfraz_yousuf@yahoo.com
4. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9213452
E-mail: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
5. Nawab Aslam Raisani
Chief Minister of Balochistan
Chief Minister House, Quetta
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 81 920 2240
Tel: +92 81 449582 / 440661
E-mail: mirlashkari@yahoo.com
6. Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi
Governor of Balochistan
Governor House Balochistan,
Quetta- Balochistan province,
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 81 920 2992
7. Chief Secretary
Government of Balochistan
Quetta, Balochistan province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 81 9202132
Email: chiefsecy@balochistan.gov.pk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
