QUETTA: The Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court and Justice Mohammad Hashim, Presiding Judge of a Judicial Commission investigating the murder of five foreigners by security forces at a Kharotabad checkpost near Quetta, have summoned police surgeon Dr Baqir Shah on Wednesday to record his statement about his alleged manhandling by police on Monday night.
Taking a suo motu notice of the incident on Tuesday, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Issa issued notices to provincial police officer, CCPO Quetta and the SHO of city police station to appear before the court on Wednesday.
The court turned an application filed by Dr Shah of Bolan Medical Complex about his alleged manhandling by police into a constitutional petition. The applicant said he had been assaulted by police for giving a statement based on truth in the tribunal investigating the Kharotabad incident.
Justice Hashim Kakar who is heading the tribunal, also summoned Dr Shah to record his statement.
The judge told police officers who had appeared before the tribunal on Tuesday that if police had decided to resolve the matter on the road then there was no need for a judicial commission.
Justice Kakar asked SHOs of City and Gowalmandi police stations why did they appear in uniform in the court when they had been placed under suspension.
The police officers submitted that they were wearing the uniform on instructions of their officers to appear in uniform to maintain the court protocol.
Investigation officer Faiz Bhatti presented to the judge the suspension orders of the SHOs.
Cameraman Jamal Tarakai, who had prepared the first video of security forces’ firing on the five foreigners on May 17, recorded his statement about his arrest by police on Tuesday morning.
He told the tribunal that he was going to the city when policemen on two motorbikes stopped him and took him to the Kharotabad police station.
Mr Tarakai said that during his brief detention he was manhandled and insulted. He said he was feeling insecure because of the police attitude.
Meanwhile, President of Balochistan Union of Journalists Issa Tareen said in a statement on Tuesday that Mr Tarakai was receiving threats, but the BUJ did not act because the matter was pending before the tribunal. But, he said, the arrest of Mr Tarakai on Tuesday proved that police were behind the threatening calls.
Policemen suspended:
The inspector-general of Balochistan police suspended two senior police officers and two constables in connection with the alleged harassment of police surgeon Dr Baqir Shah and television cameraman Jamal Tarakai.
IGP Rao Amin Hashim ordered an inquiry into the alleged beating up of Dr Shah and suspended Station House Officers of City and Gowalmandi police stations.
He also took notice of the detention of Jamal Tarakai and suspended two constables for arresting and harassing him.—Saleem Shahid
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