2 Baloch Nationalists Killed, 4 Injured In Khuzdar

QUETTA: At least two Baloch nationalists were shot dead and four seriously injured in a firing incident at a Baloch Students’ Organisation-Azad (BSO-Azad) protest rally in Khuzdar on Friday.

* HRCP Khuzdar chapter holds FC responsible for killings
* FC rejects charge

By Malik Siraj Akbar

 

The participants of the rally were protesting against the killings of Baloch citizens in Lyari, Sindh, and the launch of a government-backed operation in the area.

Ali Dost – younger brother of a Balochistan National Party (BNP) leader – succumbed to injuries – received during the firing – while he was being treated at the hospital. Similarly, Saddam Hussain – a Balochistan Residential College (BRC) student – was killed in the Gazgi area.

The four injured men were identified as Inayat Baloch, Farid Baloch Wahab Baloch and Liaqat Ali. The latter, said to be in critical condition, was shifted to a hospital in Karachi.

Responsible: A representative of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Khuzdar chapter accused the Frontier Corps (FC) for opening fire at the protesters. Likewise, the BNP and the BSO also alleged that the FC had resorted to violence in what was a peaceful democratic rally.

On the contrary, APP reported that unidentified armed men – riding a motorbike – had opened fire at the protesters, which killed the two students and injured four others.

Talking to Daily Times, FC spokesman Murtaza Baig said that the paramilitary force was neither deployed at Friday’s protest rally nor did it open fire on the protesters.

Baloch political parties have called for a three-day mourning period to be observed against Friday’s incident.The aftermath of the incident saw Baloch nationalists torching three vehicles, smashing window panes of many others, and pelting stones at government buildings in the provincial capital.