By: Aslam Chandio from Islamabad, Pakistan
Chairman of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) Pakistan, Nasrullah Baloch on Friday appealed to United Nations and other international humanitarian organizations to carry out a transparent investigation pertaining to the issue of mass grave discovery in Khuzdar district of Balochistan.
Addressing a press conference at Balochistan House, Islamabad, the Chairman VBMP expressed serious concerns over the shocking discovery of mass grave in Tutak, about 50 kilometers from Khuzdar city and demanded an immediate and impartial inquiry.
“According to DC Khuzdar, authorities found twenty five dead bodies from mass grave and we fear that number could increase,” Baloch stated.
He said that three dead bodies were identified as Qadir Bakhsh, Naseer and Muhammad Umar, adding that other dead bodies are decomposed beyond recognition and DNA tests can help in their identifications. “Those three dead bodies that were identified of the persons who are on our list of Baloch missing persons,” he confirmed.
Baloch stated that the law enforcement agencies had cordoned off the area and when relatives of missing persons wanted to visit the area, they were also threatened.
“In the past, tortured dead bodies were found from Pishin and Panjgur areas of Balochistan,” he stated, adding that lawyers are wasting time and submitting incorrect reports in the apex court.
“It will simply be injustice with Baloch people, if the missing person’s case was shifted to Balochistan High Court from the Supreme Court. Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had visited the missing person’s camp in Karachi and promised recovery of Baloch missing persons till 10th December, 2013, but nothing has changed so far,” Baloch stated.
The Chairman VBMP condemned silence of rights activists and humanitarian organizations over the issue of mass grave discovery and asked them to play their due role. On a query, he stated that political workers were released during previous government’s tenure. He alleged that provincial government of Balochistan is equally responsible for this issue of serious concern.
“The Protection of Pakistan Ordinance (PPO) law gives ample powers to the Law enforcing agencies to infringe the fundamental rights of the citizens and act in an unlawful manner and I demand of the apex court to declare PPO as null and void,” he stated.
It was also reported that the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed serious concerns over the horrific discovery of mass grave and demanded an immediate and impartial inquiry. “The Federal and Balochistan governments should identity those responsible for these killings and bring them to justice,” the HRCP wrote to the Balochistan Chief Minister. “This is an inhuman act and the government should carry out its constitutional responsibility by arresting the culprits involved in this heinous crime,” the letter read.
Furthermore, Nasrullah Baloch stated that long march of the Baloch missing persons led by veteran activist Mama Qadeer Baloch on Thursday reached Multan city of Punjab province and resumed the long march towards the Federal Capital, Islamabad on Friday.
“If the justice was not ensured in missing persons issue at Islamabad, we would march towards Geneva to request United Nations for resolving this issue of serious concern,” he announced.
It is pertinent to mention here that Provincial authorities of Balochistan on 25th January, 2014 discovered a mass grave containing an unspecified number of dead bodies in Tutak, about 50 kilometers from Khuzdar city of Balochistan province. Most of the dead bodies were decomposed beyond recognition.
Khuzdar has been one of the worst militancy-hit districts of Balochistan province and several families have migrated to other areas due to worsening law and order situation.
Aslam Chandio is an Islamabad based journalist. He tweets at @aslamchandio_
