News
Thursday, August 25, 2011
No enforced disappearances in Balochistan: FC chief* Maj Gen Khan says HRW report an attempt to discourage law enforcement agencies
Staff Report
QUETTA: Balochistan Frontier Corps (FC) Inspector General (IG) Major General Ubaidullah Khan has categorically rejected the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report regarding the enforced disappearances in Balochistan and said it was an attempt to encourage terrorists and at the same time discourage law enforcement agencies.
He said this while speaking to journalists at an Iftar dinner that he hosted for them at the FC headquarters on Tuesday.
Khan said that that HRW report was partial, portraying one side of the picture, adding that it would have been better if all the stakeholders of Balochistan were consulted before preparing the report. The IG said that he would condemn the report for its attempt to discourage the security forces and at the same time encourage the terrorists in Balochistan.
The rights watchdog accused security forces, including the intelligence agencies in its recent report of their involvement in the enforced disappearances and killings of Balochis before throwing their dead bodies in the streets and deserted places.
Answering a question, he denied that the FC was involved in the enforced disappearances and agreed that it was the responsibility of the state agencies to track down the culprits involved in kidnapping Baloch youths and activists. Khan said that even if the people who were being kidnapped and murdered were involved in any criminal activities, they should be tried in a court of law, instead of being killed and their bodies being thrown in streets and other areas.
He regretted that there were a lot of loopholes in the Law of Evidence that in fact benefited the culprits. Apart from that, he pointed out, that the militant organisations like the Baloch Liberation Army or the Baloch Liberation Front had been recognising the services of all those whose decomposed bodies were found with them.
The FC IG castigated the nawabs and sardars of Balochistan for not doing anything for their poverty ridden people, despite being in power, urging the media to play its due role in creating awareness among the people, as well as exerting pressure on the tribal elders to play a role in bringing prosperity for the citizens and their well being. He said that there were a handful of elements that attracted the Baloch youth in the name of independence, while an overwhelming majority of the population wanted peace and prosperity in the province. Khan said that there was no doubt that foreign elements were involved in the terrorist activities in Balochistan, but promised that no one would be allowed to play with the lives of the innocent people or work against the state.
He claimed that the law and order situation had improved in majority of the areas of the province, particularly in the restive area of Kohlu.
The IG said that 80 incidents of attacks on gas installations had been reported in February last year only, while in June the attacks had come down to just eight.
He said that around 900 civilians had been killed, while over 200 personnel of security forces were martyred in terrorist attacks and bomb blasts in the province in the past years.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk