July 19, 2006

Daily Times

Staff Report

HRCP Slams Disappearance of Baloch Men

Says abductions reflect the increasing daring with which intelligence agencies operate
 

LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed its reservations in a press release on Tuesday over the disappearance of two Baloch men.

HRCP Chairperson Asma Jehangir said witnesses had reported that 26-year-old Abdul Obaidullah and 24-year-old Samiullah Baloch were picked up by Military Intelligence personnel near Quetta Airport. She said, “The fact that shots were fired has raised fears about their safety. HRCP is angry at daily news reports on people disappearing and on the silence of the government on such incidents.”

Asma said it was reprehensible for the government to whisk away people belonging to prominent Baloch families even though they were not linked to militant groups.

She said the two people picked up were not involved in any militancy or illegal activities as Obaidullah ran the Balochistan Institute of Future Development while Samiullah was promoting education in Kharan district and other areas.

She said HRCP had also received complaints about Bilal Bugti and Murtaza Bugti having been picked up by intelligence authorities. “Such incidents reflect the increasing daring with which intelligence personnel abduct people and it is obvious that the rulers of Pakistan are supporting such operations,” she said.

She said HRCP feared that the campaign in Balochistan would damage federal integrity even more than it had already, add to the anger of the Baloch and endanger the country’s welfare, which was already at peril because of the reckless policies of its leaders.