QUETTA - Three people, including a police surgeon, were shot dead in the provincial capital in two separate incidents of firing on Thursday.
Superintendent of Police Fareedullah Braich confirmed the murder of police surgeon Dr Baqir Shah who was the key forensic investigator in the Kharotabad incident. Braich said police had no idea who killed Dr Shah and what was the motive of the killing. However, he said he would be able to comment in this regard after investigation.
Dr Shah was on his way to home from Bolan Medical Complex Hospital along with his personal staff when two armed persons opened fire at him at point-blank range near his residence at Sabzal road. He was shot in the head and died on the spot.
According to Abdul Hameed Mengal, the man who was riding with Dr Shah in his car, two masked gun men on a motorcycle rushed towards their car and opened fire at Dr Shah.
Police and personnel of Frontier Corps rushed to the site and cordoned off the area.
Dr Shah had conducted the post mortem of five foreigners including three women who were brutally killed by the firing of security forces in Kharotabad area on May 17 this year.
Dr Shah’s report showed the foreigners died from gunshot wounds which belied the security forces’ claim that the five foreigners died when they detonated a grenade. Dr Shah on the media as well as before the inquiry tribunal probing into the incident had declared that he was receiving life threats by some ‘quarters’ pressuring him to fudge the post mortem report in favour of police and Frontier Corps.
It may also be recalled that Dr Shah was earlier beaten up by the police personnel and was taken to city police station. Following the incident, the inquiry tribunal headed by Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar had expressed his resentment and suspended two SHOs. Dr Shah had informed the tribunal that he was receiving threats but was not provided security.
Talking to media persons, Capital City Police Officer Ehsan Mehboob said the incident was a terrorist act and investigation was being held.
The CCPO claimed the slain doctor was provided security after the Kharotabad incident but later the doctor himself refused to take it. Terrorist groups can be behind his murder, he said.
Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani has directed an inquiry against the personnel of security forces who were deployed near the site of attack on Dr Shah.
Separately, unknown armed men gunned down a man and his son at Link Badini road in Sariab locality.
According to police, a person along with his son was on his way to office when armed assailants riding a motorbike sprayed a volley of bullets at his vehicle, killing both on the spot.
The slain were identified as Sher Muhammad Sumalani and his son Muhammad Rafiq Sumalani. The father was an employee of Excise and Taxation Department in Quetta while the son was working with National Highway Authority.