GWADAR: Family members and workers of different political parties joined members of civil society in a protest at the Fida Shaheed Chowk on Friday, along with the corpse of Balaach Mola Bakhsh, whose body was handed over to his family the other day.

Mr Bakhsh, along with three other people, was killed in what CTD claimed was an intelligence-based operation in Turbat.

However, family members of the slain man refuted the CTD claim regarding the killing of Mr Bakhsh, insisting that he was killed in a fake encounter as he was already in CTD custody since his arrest on October 29.

In order to prove their claim, family members said Mr Bakhsh was also produced before a local court, which remanded him in police custody on Nov 21.

HRCP condemns ‘extra judicial killings’, calls for those responsible to be held accountable

“Balaach was killed in CTD custody and they dumped his body along with three other people, who have not been identified so far,” family members said.

A large number of social and human rights activists and workers of all political parties of Kech and other people joined the protest.

A complete strike was also observed in Turbat town to protest against the killing.

All bazaars, shopping centers, markets and other business establishments remained closed.

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The lawyers’ community, expressing its solidarity with the victim’s family, has also been boycotting the courts in Turbat since the sit-in began.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader Wasim Safar termed the CTD operation “fake” and said that all four people were killed in CTD custody and their bodies were later dumped in a hospital.

He said three alleged encounters have taken place in Turbat and Khuzdar over the past 10 days, in which 10 people had been killed.

“All these encounters were fake and the people killed in these encounters were in custody,” he claimed and demanded a judicial probe.

He said the caretaker prime minister and the chief minister should play their roles in stopping these fake encounters in the area. Mr Safar added the sit-in will continue till the arrest of all officials involved in these fake encounters.

HRCP condemns extra-judicial killings

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also condemned the practice of extra judicial killings by law-enforcement and security agencies, which continue to be reported from Balochistan, particularly Kech and its surrounding areas.

“Extra judicial executions are not justified in any circumstances whatsoever, given that the state has a legal obligation to protect the right to life. The impunity accorded to perpetrators must cease and those responsible held to account,” the HRCP said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the CTD in a statement issued on Friday, said that Mr Bakhsh was arrested last month and remained in police custody till Nov 21.

The statement added that Mr Bakhsh had confessed about his involvement in terrorist activities and identified places where his other colleagues were hiding.

He was killed in crossfiring during an operation carried out on his information, the CTD claimed.

Armed men opened fire when CTD officials cordoned off the area in which Mr Bakhsh suffered injuries and was killed, the statement said.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2023