More than 8000 persons arrested and 204 killed in Balochistan this year

QUETTA:  Balochistan Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani on Wednesday confirmed that Pakistani security agencies have arrested 8363 persons and killed more than 200 under National Action Plan (NAP) in Balochistan this year.

Mr Durrani said that more than 1800 intelligence-based military operations were conducted in different areas of Balochistan killing 204 including 100 high-profile persons.

Balochistan CM Dr Malik told BBC Urdu that arrested people will be tried according to law but human right activists say that it is yet to be explained whether these people were arrested lawfully or not.

In an interview with BBC Urdu’s Shahzeb Jillani Dr Malik admitted that Pakistani security forces created death squads for the purpose of counter insurgency in Balochistan. He said that the death squads still exited but they have been inactive for now.

Baloch pro-freedom political parties and leaders have long been saying that Pakistani army has armed wanted criminals and drug mafia gangs and given them free hand to target killed pro-independence Baloch political and human rights activists. These death squad have full blessings and support of Pakistani army and intelligence agencies.

According to Pakistani security official report to media most the arrested persons belong to ‘banned’ Baloch resistance organisations.

Head of Pakistan Human Right Commission in Balochistan Mr Tahir Hussain advocate said that the news about the arrest of 8000 people have been reported in media but no explanations are given about the identity and charges against these people.

Meanwhile the Baloch social activists and human rights campaigners have termed Mr Durrani’s statement as self-confession and a confirmation of the concerns of Baloch activists that Pakistani army and intelligence were involved in abductions, target killing and other crimes against humanity in Balochistan.

Dr Shahzavar Baluch, coordinator of International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons said, “After such self-confessionary statement by Home Secretary of Balochistan there should be no doubt in anybody’s mind that Pakistani forces are involved in abducting and killing Baloch political and human rights activists.

“Official of Pakistan armed forces and their local collaborators in Balochistan provincial government should be brought to justice according international laws and UN conventions for ordering the arrest and killing of Baloch civilians.”

Dr Baluch said that the Baloch political and human rights organisations have provided evidence of Pakistani security forces crimes in Balochistan and submitted form of enforced-disappeared Baloch to UN WGIED but so far the UN has not taken any solid action against Pakistan.

Baloch social media activists expressed their fears that the arrested 8000 people who are mostly Baloch political activists will be tortured and killed in custody by Pakistani security forces like thousands other Baloch who were previously killed in custody under the ‘kill and dump’ policy by Pakistani forces.

It important to note that Pakistan security forces intensified their atrocities in Balochistan after the announcement of National Action Plan following a deadly attack on an army school in Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.