Security forces 'rule Balochistan: HRCP

ISLAMABAD - Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in its fact-finding mission report portraying a bleak and precarious picture of Balochistan has stated that 71 persons in the province were still missing while 140 dead bodies of such persons have been found during the last 11 months. The report says that 18 people were murdered in targeted killings while 5 innocent citizens became victim of sectarian killings during 2011 in Balochistan. HRCP launched the report titled 'Balochistan; Blinkered Slide into Chaos in a press conference held at a local hotel. The Commissions Chairperson Zohra Yusuf, its Secretary General I A Rehman, former chairperson Asma Jehangir, Council member Hina Jilani were present on the occasion. The mission observed that there were credible allegations of the involvement of state security forces, particularly the Frontier Constabulary (FC), in the cases of enforced disappearances. There was material on record to substantiate claims of the families that the victims were disappeared by the FC or had been killed while in custody, says the fact-finding mission. The mission has said in its report that some of the individuals picked up along with the still missing persons had returned and confirmed that they were held in FC custody. However, HRCPs Secretary General I A Rehman said they should make it clear that the matter of Balochistan was not related to law and order but a political one. To a question, about the exact number of missing cases he said, Get out of the number game and only see what was the bad condition of the province. The mission learnt that agents of the state as well as the insurgents and extremists operating in the province shared a common disregard for rights of the citizens. The insurgents have murdered 'settlers in targeted killings with impunity while the extremists have treated the members of religious minorities as fair game, the omission further observed. The report says that the FIRs registered against personnel of security forces in forced disappearances remained un-investigated without exception and courts had failed to ensure compliance with their orders. The 'Inquiry Commission on Enforced Disappearances set up to investigate the cases of the missing persons had been largely ineffective, leading to peoples frustration. The mission witnessed that all the authority in the province seemed to rest with the security forces which enjoyed complete impunity adding that the civil administration, elected by the people and meant to represent them, appeared to have ceded its powers. The fact-finding mission says that use of forces rather than political engagement remains the preferred approach in Balochistan and the promises made in the Balochistan Package remain little more than promises. Targeted killings on the basis of ethnicity and belief are rampant while members of religious minority communities speak of a heightened sense of insecurity amid targeted killings and kidnappings for ransom. Those who have the misfortune of being non-Baloch 'settlers in Balochistan have been doubly victimized and in a number of districts, large areas have been cleansed of 'settlers population. The fact-finding mission says that at least 78 organized gangs were reported to be involved in abduction for ransom in the province and there was a wide spread perception that criminal gangs and individuals involved in heinous crime enjoyed support of politicians and security forces. The mission in its fact-finding reports has recommended that illegal practice of enforced disappearances must stop forthwith and all security forces operating in the province should be brought under civilian control. It recommended that the powers of decision-making and governance must be restored to civilian political authorities in the province and task of policing in the province should be reinstated to the police. It has also given recommendation that all victims of violence by agents of the state must be compensated adequately and promptly saying that violence was being used instead of political dialogue. HRCP chairperson Zohra Yusuf during the press conference said that there was sense of alienation among the people of Balochistan. She said that previously some missing persons used to be traced but now it had become a disturbing trend that mutilated bodies of victims of enforced disappearances had started turning up by the roadside and in desolate places. Hina Jilani said that there were strong chances of the involvement of paramilitary forces in the enforced disappearances in Balochistan adding that mostly students and unemployed youth were being targeted there especially on the political views. She said that there was imbalance between civil-military relations equation in the province. There was no mechanism of accountability of security forces in the province nor these interact with the general masses, she added. Asma Jehangir said that no go areas were being patronized by intelligence agencies.