QUETTA: The mystery surrounding the recovery of 13 mutilated bodies from Tootak area of Khuzdar district has not been resolved despite the passage of one week. Only two of the bodies have been identified and handed over to their families.

Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Malik Baloch has appointed Justice Noor Mohammad Maskanzai of the Balochistan High Court as one-man commission to investigate the incident.

The commission, which is required to submit its findings in one month, has yet to start its proceedings. It will record statements of the people who wanted to appear before it, and will visit Khuzdar, if needed.

The Supreme Court also took notice of the recovery of human bodies after the district authorities informed it that 13 bodies had been found in four unconventional graves.

The apex court also recorded the statement of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons Chairman Nasarullah Baloch. He said that three of the bodies identified were in the list of missing persons.

The four-member medical team set up for the purpose has completed post-mortem on the bodies and collected samples for DNA test.

“The samples of all 13 bodies have been sent to Islamabad for test,” provincial Home Secretary Asadur Rehman Gilani told Dawn. The complete report would come after six weeks, he added.

“Twelve women whose sons have been missing also gave their tissues for DNA test,” the minister said, adding that so far two bodies had been identified through identity cards found in their pockets.

They had gone missing from Awaran district in October last year. Their bodies were found half-buried and a shepherd informed the Khuzdar administration about it. The bodies were mutilated and beyond recognition.

According to sources, the medical team in its report suggested that the two bodies might be three months old and they were shot in the head and chest.

The report has been submitted to authorities concerned. The remaining 11 bodies are older than the two bodies.

“Only skeletons of the 11 bodies were found in three graves. These were not properly buried,” an official said.

It is not known how they were killed because the report submitted by the medical team has not been made public.

The people whose sons and relatives have been missing for many years are visiting the Khuzdar district hospital to find some clue about their near and dear ones.

“A large number of people, including women, are visiting the hospital to get information about the identity of the bodies lying in the cold storage of the hospital,” a doctor told Dawn.

Officials said 13 bodies were found, but various Baloch political parties and human right organisations claimed that over 150 bodies had been recovered from the place. Outlawed Baloch organisations put the number at 200 and claimed that it included the bodies of missing people.

The human rights and other Baloch organisations believe that more bodies could be recovered from Tootak. Security personnel have cordoned off the area. “Recovery of more bodies is possible,” they said. They suggested that independent human rights organisations be allowed to visit the area.

Political observers said the recovery of mutilated bodies was a big blow for the coalition government of Dr Malik Baloch. It raised many questions over who were behind the killing and dumping of the bodies.

Dr Malik vowed to find the people who were behind the tragic incident. “We will not hide anything from the people of Balochistan and will make pubic findings of the commission,” he said.