Pakistans Killings Field

Enforced Disappearances And Speedy recovery of Bullet-ridden bodies in Balochistan

The following report issued by the the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons
(VBMP)
Introduction
( February 4, 2015, Karachi, Sri Lanka Guardian) Voice for Baloch Missing Persons
(VBMP) is purely a non-political organization which is formed by the families of
missing persons on 27th September 2009. The organization VBMP bears duly the

objective to seek the safe release of enforced disappearing loved ones by pacifically
approaching the all forums built with aim to dispense the justice and defend the
human rights, nationally and internationally.
Aims and objectives:
Documentation of the data pertaining the missing persons and extra-judicially
Executed
File the cases of missing persons at High and Supreme Court
Raising the issue of missing persons on national and international level peacefully
Raising the voice against injustices, abuses and violations of human rights in
Balochistan
Establish a firm coordination with national and international human rights
organizations including international community
After the formation the organization VBMP kicked-off amassing the details of Balochs
political activists have gone to missing, and bullet thrown riddled/decomposed bodies
that were slain extra judicially. Further the organization sued cases about missing
persons at Supreme Court of Pakistan and Balochistan High Court, and moreover the
organization is conducting nonviolent protests. The central office bearers of the VBMP
have visited to several districts of the province; along with this the coordinators have
also been designated there. In this way it is reported that Baloch political workers are
being subjected and tortured inhuman way by the intelligences agencies since the
formation state of Pakistan. The organization VBMP primarily is struggling to high
light human rights abuses; such as enforced disappearances, injustices, intimidation
and throwing the mutilated bodies which were picked earlier.

Nothing can do when their people are eliminating by the government, but to take the
arms and act against their brutality, is a motto of Baloch rebels.
The organization VBMP is conducting the protests with aim to notify unfair practices
in province of Balochistan at all platforms. Annexing to this the organization has
conducted several times protest rallies, demonstrations, seminars, token hunger strike
camps in Balochistan including in other parts of the country. The organization making
the history, long marched from Quetta to Karachi, and further to Islamabad. The
historical long march had sole objective to highlight the issue of enforced
disappearances and extra judicial killings of missing persons and human rights
violations in Balochistan. The long marchers journeyed thousands kilometers
perambulated without using any sort of transportation. The historical long march had
rife the grave issue of missing persons worldwide.
Epic of Enforced Disappearance: Day One to the Present
The first case of enforced disappearance was came reported during the military
aggression in 1970s by whisking up of Asad Mengal the eldest son of former Chief
Minister Balochistan and veteran Baloch nationalist leader Sardar Attaullah Khan
Mengal. Mr Mengal was picked-up along with his comrade, namely Ahmad Shah by
the intelligence agencies personnel. However being a high profile personal the case of
Mr. Mengal had been reported, but hundreds common cases were not filed at all.
The survey by VBMP was conducted which shows that the intelligence agencies started
illegally actions by whisking away the political workers in 2000 during the Musharraf
regime, and put it was on fast pace in military operations during the 2005 and 2006
years. It was also revealed that due to military operations which was on its full swing,
during that time the supporters of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and Nawab Khair Bux
Marri had to leave their hire and hearth and settled in different districts of Balochistan
and in the neighboring provinces Sindh and Punjab. Many of them were forcibly
abducted from the neighboring provinces and their bullet riddled bodies found
dumped in Balochistan and Sindh province.
The series of kill and dump policy (abduction of Baloch political activists and dumping
their bullet riddled/decomposed bodies after torturing them for months in illegal
detention cells) was again started in 2009 when a Baloch nationalist leader Ghulam
Mohammad Baloch along with his two colleagues had been whisked away by personnel
of state agencies in the broad day light and in front of a large number of people from
the chamber of their lawyer Kachkool Ali advocate in Turbat town. After a couple of
days their bullet riddled bodies were found from a desolate area in the same district.

Later the state agencies accelerated the process of killing and dumping against political
activists the savior from of violence continued yet. Thousands of people from different
parts of Balochistan have forcibly been disappeared including women and children,
more than one thousand political workers including journalists, lawyers, Baloch
students and people from different walks of life were extra judicially killed in torture
cells operated by state intelligence agencies.
Teething Problems at logbook to bring the cases into public notes
1- The families of the victims harassed by the personnel of state agencies, they started
threatening them that they will receive the dead bodies of their near and dear ones
who are in their custody or they will also harm the family members if they make any
attempt to approach any court of law, media or human rights organizations.
2- And some of those family members of missing persons who ignored these threats
and approached the courts, media and human rights organizations, and their missing
kith and kin were tortured and shot dead during the detention and their bodies were
found in the streets. Many of the family members of missing persons were whisked
away by personnel of intelligence agencies and their bullet riddled bodies were thrown
in the streets. Jalil Reiki, the missing son of VBMP vice chairman Abdul Qadeer Baloch
is such example. His body was found with multiple bullet wounds. His all bones were
fractured since was thrown from the helicopter. VBMPs two district coordinators were
killed after being abducted by state agencies. Like many others, the active members of
the organization were implicated in false cases. The purpose of these tactics in fact is a
clear warning for the rest of families of missing persons either be silenet or face the
consequences.
3-Some of the families of missing persons are given false assurances by personnel of
agencies for release of their kith and kin if they remain calm and silence.
4-Due to these tactics, fear penetrated deep among the family members of missing
persons for not rising against intelligence agencies. However in the wake of
registration of cases in Supreme Court of Pakistan in March, 2012, few missing
persons were set free that encouraged the family members of the victims and then
families of missing persons from far flung areas of Balochistan started approaching the
court. The number of those persons rose to 300 who filed their petitions in the apex
court. But this courage did not prove long lasting as despite repeated court orders, the
missing persons were not released rather over a dozen of bullet riddled bodies of
missing persons were found in different areas of the province during the hearing of the
cases.

Former Chief Justice Iftaikhar Mohammad Chaudhary more than once said in his
remarks during the hearing of the cases that when the Supreme Court takes up the
missing persons cases, the dead bodies of missing persons started falling (being found
on the streets or in desolate areas). One of the petitioners fearing for the life of his
missing relative prayed to Chief Justice during the hearing for not issuing the orders
for the release of missing persons as instead of their release, the state agencies started
killing them. It is on record that he withdrew his petition during the hearing.
5- Those lawyers who were pursuing the cases of missing persons were harassed by the
state agencies by conducting raid on their houses while those lawyers who were
associated with VBMP regarding missing persons cases were whisked away.
6- So for five military operation have been carried out in Balochistan during these
military operations residents of affected areas were displaced in the year of 1981 huge
number of Blaoch persons were migrated to Afghanistan from Kholu district and other
parts Balochisan in the year of 1992 they returned back to Balochistan they were the
people who did not accept the existence of Pakistan they were the strong opponents
and they categorically denied to make national identity cards of Pakistan in the year of
1988 census was conducted in Pakistan during the census these Baloch persons who
were displaced by above mentioned military operations were not present in Pakistan
this is why the huge data was not registered this was the major reason that the data of
said displaced persons has not been on the record.
7- The families of missing persons in their possible capacity approached almost all
state institutions to seek justice from them but they did not get satisfactory response
from these institutions the incorporation of responsible state institutions has
intensified the issue of missing persons more this is one of the major reasons which
has almost disappointed the affected families.
Judicial Paradigm Shift
Cases of missing persons started being registered since 2000 before high court of
Balochistan which made no action against intelligence agencies and resultantly, these
agencies geared up their policy of whisking away political activists. The petitions of
missing persons filed by the individuals were heard after months, however after
formation of VBMP the office bearers appeared before Chief Justice of High Court,
praying for giving these cases priority in the face of a human issue. Accepting the plea,
the high court started taking up these cases on daily basis. But after few months, the
hearing dates of these cases were fixed after months.
Supreme court of Pakistan has taken sue Moto notice of missing persons cases in 2005

and formally started hearing in the wake of a constitutional petition in 2007. When
Chief Justice started summoning the heads of intelligence agencies in the court
regarding the missing persons cases and few individuals were released, but he was
deposed in 2009 during Musharraf regime. After one year of his restoration, Chief
Justice held two hearings of missing persons cases. The constitutional petition of 2007
is still pending in the supreme court of Pakistan. Since 2000 up to 2010 police didnt
file First Information Report (FIR) of the missing persons cases against the
intelligence agencies.
The Supreme Court ordered in 2010 that missing persons first information reports
must be registered in the concerned police stations, few of the first information report
of enforced disappeared persons were registered but later on mostly police showed
helplessness regarding the registration of first information report.
In 2012, former Chief Justice Iftkahr Mohammad Choudhary on the bench of the
Supreme Court of Pakistan accepted an Appeal by the Voice for Baloch Missing
Persons (VBMP), on enforced disappearances of Baloch political workers; and the
hearing of this Appeal was being taken up in the Court on daily basis. The cases were
instituted against the Pakistani security agencies in April, 2014, the Supreme Court is
yet to take up these cases for hearing. Meanwhile Balochistan faces an increase in cases
of enforced disappearances.
On 10th November 2014, the acting Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Jawad S Khawaja
accepted similar Appeals through the Quetta Registry pertaining to disappearances in
the Balochistan. However, the cases pertaining to missing persons and enforced
disappearances filed in 2012, were overlooked. Justice Khawaja was later replaced by
Chief Justice of Pakistan Nasirul Mulk. The Chairman, of Voice for Baloch Missing
Persons, Nasrullah Baloch again appeared before the Court and had pleaded for the
fixation of dates in the Missing Persons case but the court did not order anything to the
effect.
Mr. Baloch had personally approached Justice S Khawaja, the head of bench of the
Supreme Court to consider taking up the case on humanitarian grounds it being a
crisis in the Baloch region the competent authorities later responded favorably and
directed the Attorney General to set up a meeting with the Chairman of the VBMP, and
made directions to the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Quetta to produce the
detailed records in the Missing Persons case. These details were produced on 12th
November 2014 before the Court. Justice S Khawaja acknowledged the receipt of the
two applications pleading fast-track proceeding of Missing Persons case. The head of
the bench of the Supreme Court, Justice Jawad S Khawaja assured the Chairman of the
VBMP and had told him that , [He] will examine the entire record of the Missing

Persons case in Islamabad and will reserve a day for the hearing as soon as possible.
On 3rd December 2014 the application of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons about the
urgent hearing of missing persons cases were taken up in the Court following seven
months of agitation. On the application of VBMP four hearing were held but no
decision was made about the fixation of the date in Supreme Court.
The hearing of cases pertaining to grave human rights violation must be expedited as
per the constitution of Pakistan, the Supreme Court rules also dictates that such cases
shall be disposed of within two weeks time. The Supreme Court of Pakistan has
directed to the sub-ordinate courts to dispose of such cases on preference basis. Yet the
directive is not translated into action either by the highest echelon or the lower
judiciary. Many habeas corpus petitions filed in the Supreme Court against the Law
enforcement agencies are lying pending many a time the proceedings stall after an
initial hearing.
The former Chief Justice Iftekhar Mohd Chaudhary has passed two interim orders
against the state agencies. The Judge warned, that Forcibly disappeared persons must
be brought [to] court, otherwise contempt of court proceedings will be initiated. He
addressed the provincial government including state agencies in his remarks if the
rulers and institutions cannot protect its citizens, then they must not rule
On December 2013, the present Defense Minister Khawaja Asif appeared before the
Court and promised recovery of all Missing Persons within 10 days, he is yet to fulfill
his commitment.
Though the Former Chief Justice Iftekhar Mohd Choudary prior to his retirement
repeatedly warned the state agencies to produce the missing person but he too proved
powerless in front of the establishment. He merely paid lip service to the ordeal of the
families of missing persons.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan to this date, neither ordered nor had taken any
practical step whatsoever in the cases of the missing persons.
Dilemma of unearth grim wartime mass graves in Tootak (Khuzdar):
Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassadque Hussain Jelani took sue motto notice,
following the press conference of Chairman of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons on
the discovery of the Mass Graves in Tootak (Khuzdar). The Chairman of the VBMP
stated in his speech at the press conference that decomposed bodies and remains of
humans were found in Tootak (Khuzdar). The remains in the graves were identified by
the victims family members, the victims were abducted by the Pakistani security
forces at different times from different parts of Balochistan. Many bodies could not be
identified but are feared to belong to a long list of Baloch missing persons.

The Chairman of the VBMP said that the government is downplaying the number of
bodies found fearing further backlash from the people of Baluchistan. The Supreme
Court of Pakistan ordered the Provincial Government of Balochistan to conduct DNA
test of the decomposed bodies. The Provincial Government stated before the Court that
the DNA test reports will be prepared within six months time. This annoyed the Court
and the judges remarked that there cannot be any more waiting since this is a serious
humanitarian issue and ordered the reports to be submitted in Court at the next
hearing on May 16, 2014. After a delay of 7 months on 3rd December 2014 the case was
finally taken up, only to be adjourned indefinitely.
We fear that no action will be taken against those responsible. Following the discovery
of the mass grave the Security forces have sealed the area. We fear that the agencies
might remove all evidence of the mass grave making it onerous task for the aggrieved
family to seek justice or even know the fate of their loved ones.
Political Gimmick on Judicial Commission to probe the Mass Grave:
Following the notice by the Supreme Court of Pakistan about the mass graves in
Tootak (Khuzdar), the Balochistan Provincial Government formed a judicial
commission which was headed by Justice Noor Mohammad Miskanzai. The Voice for
Baloch Missing Persons had proposed that Human Rights Organizations activists and
journalists also be included in the Commission so that independent views and
observations are made into this probe. Several other organizations suggested that the
Commission also includes journalists and human rights activists to facilitate the survey
of the mass graves sites and for fact finding.
The Federal and provincial government denied all such request forming instead, a
biased commission whose members belonged to the same security agencies who were
being alleged to have committed the heinous crime. No wonder the intelligence and
security agencies were absolved of all crimes in the report prepared by the
commission. Interestingly the site of mass grave was cordoned off while the
commission was investigating and no independent investigation agency or journalist
was allowed entry.
Before the issuance of verdict by the Judicial Commission, the Home Secretary of
Baluchistan through a statement, published in newspapers, acquitted the security
forces from the mass-graves incident. The VBMP strongly opposed this act and
declared it an unlawful protection and impunity provided to security forces.
However, contrary to the statement issued by the Provincial Government the Supreme

Court elaborated in its two interim orders that the security forces were in fact involved
in abductions and extra-judicial killings of the Missing Persons, in Baluchistan.
The provincial government colluded with the agencies to brush the heinous crime
under the carpet. Choosing instead to play the proverbial flute as the whole of
Baluchistan suffers crime against humanity. No heads rolled, no feather ruffled as
bodies after bodies were discovered from the mass grave as if the deceased were not
citizens of Pakistan or led a life not worth living.
The Voice for Baloch Missing Person has outright and completely rejected the above
mentioned report issued by the Judicial Commission on the mass graves in Tootak.
Input of Judicial Commissions
The First Judicial Commission was formed on the directives of the Federal
Government in June 2010. Further two more Commission were constituted. Many
former detainees who were picked up and were later released by the agencies testified
before the commissions that several missing persons are under the custody of these
intelligence agencies they also provided information regarding the whereabouts of
missing persons but unfortunately the commissions didnt bother to act upon their
information.
The third Judicial Commission was formed under the supervision of retired Justice
Javed Iqbal and that too failed to produce any Missing Person before the Commission
or have them released from custody of the state agencies. The third commission right
from its formation did not come in Balochistan for about a one year. Third judicial
commission after a long period of one year came in Balochistan and started the
proceedings of missing persons cases, the said commission continued the proceedings
only for three days, after three days proceedings the third judicial commission via a
press conference claimed that state agencies are not involved in these abductions of
people in Balochistan which categorically made a mockery of justice.
The neutrality of the commission is questionable the higher officials of intelligence
agencies were sitting with commission on their given directions commission carried
out the investigations in such a way intelligence officials interfered in commissions
investigations. It is on the record that Supreme Court of Pakistan on several occasions
accused intelligence officials of extra judicial killings, abductions and dumping of
mutilated dead bodies of missing persons the higher court also proved their
involvement in above mentioned human rights violations in Balochistan.
Families of the victims have also serious concerns against intelligence officials they

allegedly claim that their missing family members were extra judicially abducted and
killed by the intelligence agencies. Families of victims cannot establish of a firm trust
in these officials so it becomes an open secret that the intelligence officials with their
mischievous reputation cannot suggest an independent commission in any way.
The VBMP rejected all the findings of the commissions terming it non-autonomous
bodies whose members were biased against the missing persons.
Federal and Provincial Governments Experiments
When Muslim League-N was the opposition party, by directives of the party president
Mian Nawaz Shareef, a delegation comprising of senior party members met with the
VBMPs officials at Quetta Press Club, and they delivered the message of their party
leader. Through this message Mr. Sharif addressed the relatives of missing Baloch
persons and assured them that when they would come into power and form a
government, it would be their first priority to resolve the issue of Missing Persons. He
further said that action would be taken against the culprits. In the same way,
Provincial Government representatives were conducting meetings with the VBMP and
they were making same such hollow promises.
Now these political parties are ruling in both the Federal and Provincial Governments
but they have long forgotten their pledges. Instead of solving the issue of missing
persons and bringing the culprits to book the same politicians are defending the illegal
acts of the security forces that are committing the Human Rights abuses in
Balochistan.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government passed a law called the Pakistan Protection
Ordinance which gives a legal cover to the illegal action of the security agencies giving
more impunity to them. The provincial government has also given its nod. Through the
promulgation of this ordinance the security agencies will be accorded arbitrary powers
to impose the writ of the state. The ordinance provides that the security officials who
are accused of the enforced disappearances of persons and can only be tried in a
military Court and not in the Supreme Court.
The VBMP strongly opposes the provision because the victims and their family
members cannot appear before the military courts due to the harassment by security
officials.
The security agencies are covering their tracks the bodies of missing persons are
smeared with acid to ensure they become unrecognizable if they were ever to be found.
Earlier the bodies of the deceased were found with a chit identifying the name and

address of the victim.

The Voice for Baloch Missing persons stands in solidarity with the families of the
missing persons and has instituted an appeal in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Our
peaceful protests continue for the safe recovery of our loved ones.
The family of the missing person are traumatized they are keeping the hope alive that
one day their loved one will come back. It is an agonizing pain to be separated from
ones son, brother, husband, father not knowing whether they are still alive. Every
footstep every doorbell, every ring of the telephone feels like the call from their loved
one. The families are yearning to be united once again with their father, son, husband
and brother.
We thus request the international agencies, communities and NGOs working for
human rights to come forward and play their part. They must exercise their power and
mandate to pressurize the government of Pakistan to ensure recovery of the missing
persons. It is the duty and obligation of every peace loving individual to play his or her
part to ensure justice prevails.
Posted by Thavam