While the US “war on terror” in Afghanistan and areas bordering Pakistan occupied the focus of millions in the western world, the simmering conflict in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh; particularly Karachi, and its disastrous effects on the civilian population evade the radar of popular media because of the imposed media-censorship in the country. There was and still is believed to be directions provided by the notorious spy agencies of Pakistan to local news agencies regarding what to publish and what not to; who to invite on a TV talk show and who not to.
In such a scenario no wonder voices are suppressed and crimes against humanity go unpunished and unreported.
In the previous decade, a clear surge in fake encounters was strikingly apparent in Pakistan. On one hand, hundreds of victims of enforced disappearance died in torture dungeons of the state, on the other hand, law enforcement agencies claimed many killings of innocent civilians in staged battles or encounters.
While some of these fake encounters made it to mainstream media after attracting huge attention on social media, whereas, many others as it usually goes, went unreported.
- Naqeebullah Mehsud: the aspiring model and an activist
Three years ago, on January 3, Naqeebullah Mehsood, an aspiring model, shopkeeper, and an activist, was abducted along with two friends, Hazrat Ali and Mohammad Qasim by Rao Anwar’s men dressed as civilians from Gul Sher Agha Hotel in Sohrab Goth, Karachi.
On January 6, both of his friends were released by the police and on January 13th, alongside Naqeebullah three other men were killed in a, initially, claimed counter-terrorism operation.
Initial reports in the media declared the men as terrorists and appreciated the efforts put in by the then Malir SSP Rao Anwar and his team.
Not long after the incident, a public outcry broke over the fake encounter of the 27-year-old aspiring model and a native of restive Waziristan on social media as well as on the streets of Karachi and Khyber Pakthunkhwa which followed a probe on the matter. Rao Anwar then quickly went into hiding.
The Supreme court of Pakistan took suo moto notice of the extra-judicial killing and in the course of proceeding, the court ordered Inspector General Sindh police to submit a report on the case which was submitted on January 26.
In the inquiry report (dated: 25.01.2018) the committee had come to the conclusion that the police encounter of Naqeebullah Mehsud was prima facie, a fake/staged encounter. Furthermore, Naqeebullah was kept in illegal detention and was severely tortured before the killing.
The joint investigative team (JIT), which was established by the supreme court through its order dated: 21.03.2018, submitted its report before an Anti-terrorism court. The evidence examined in both, the JIT report and the supplementary charge sheet, proved the presence of Rao Anwar at the place of killing. The analysis of cell phone activity proved the presence of the accused at the place of killing at 2.43 PM: the time of the killing.
On March 22, Rao Anwar was produced before an administrative judge of the Anti-terrorism Court by the investigation officer to seek judicial custody of the accused. The judge granted custody, however, instead of central jail, he was taken to his home in Multan Lines, Malir Cantonment, Karachi which was declared as a sub-jail through notification No. SO(PRS1)HD/11-174/2015, dated: 21.04.2018 issued by Home Secretary Sindh.
On May 10th, an important witness of the case Shahzada Jehangir retracted from his earlier statement through an affidavit filed in Anti-terrorism court, and on July 10th, Bail was granted to Rao Anwar despite all the evidence against him. The case is still pending adjudication.
- Some cases of fake encounters by LEA’s of Baloch
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Baitullah Baloch was a schoolteacher and a prominent leader of the Baloch National Movement. He was a resident of Dazin Village of tehsil Tump, district Kech.
He was forcibly disappeared in front of the locals of his area from the main Bazaar by Frontier Corps personnel on June 17th, 2015. On the same day, an Urdu newspaper, Urdu Point) quoted Security forces in a statement, “In a combined operation of the Frontier Corps and the Secret Agencies, a (militant) commander is arrested along with four persons”. The news further mentions that the name of the commander is Baitullah and ‘arms and literature was found from them”. It says, ‘Baitullah, the commander had a very important role in organizing terror attacks in the region.”
After the passage of almost two years, the local levies force received a phone call from the local military base of the Frontier Corps, saying they have killed five ‘terrorists’ during a skirmish and their dead bodies are lying near the shore of the river.
Baitullah was among the alleged terrorists killed during the battle which never took place. The other four dead bodies were of 17-year-old Jassim Raheem, Asif Ali, 18-year-old Majid Baloch, and 17-year-old Sabir Ghulam.
Jassim Raheem was a student and a resident of tehsil Tump district Kech. He was on his duty in a local grocery shop when it was raided by Frontier Corps on January 4, 2015. More than a dozen residents of the village witnessed his abduction. He remained disappeared till the FC claimed that he was killed in a battle with militants.
Asif Ali was a tailor master by profession and a native of Kahnek, Mand district Kech. He was working in the metropolitan city of Karachi and was forcibly disappeared, believed to be, by unknown gunmen from Gulshan-e-Mazdur, Karachi. He remained disappeared until the FC claimed that he was killed in a battle.
Majid Baloch, also known as Noroz was forcibly disappeared by LEAs from Hub city district Lasbela. He remained disappeared until the FC claimed that he was killed in a battle.
Sabir Ghulam, a 17-year-old resident of Goburd, Mand district Kech, was forcibly disappeared by frontier corps from his native village of Goburd, Mand. He was a laborer and was working as a mason for a local resident when forces cordoned-off the village. Forces then started a house-to-house search operation in which, mostly, all the men of the village are rounded up. In fear of being taken away by the forces, sabir left the work and ran to save himself from a day of senseless torture only to be caught and taken away by the forces, according to the locals of the area.
He remained disappeared until the FC claimed to have killed him.
All the dead bodies bore marks of extreme torture, according to the families of the extra-judicially killed persons.
- The Qambarani Brothers
Almost 4 years back, On august 13 2016, the security forces brought in three dead bodies in Civil Hospital Quetta. Spokesman of the Frontier Corps was later quoted in a news report saying “all three persons were killed in an exchange of fire between security forces and ‘terrorists’.
Later, two of the three ‘terrorists’ were identified as Gazzen and Salman Qambrani.
24-year-old Gazzen Naseer Qambarani was the youngest among seven brothers and sisters. He was a political activist and had been the President of Baloch Students Organization’s Islamabad-Zone in 2014.
In early Tuesday morning on July 7th, 2015, Frontier Corps raided Kili Qambarani at around 07:00 am Pakistani time. After a house-to-house search operation, the forces took Gazzen Qambarani with them. 30-years-old Salman Habib Qambarani, the other ‘terrorist’ (according to FC) was killed in ‘battle’, was a gardener in Quetta Municipality. Salman Qambarani, the father of three children, was picked up by the security forces on July 10th, 2015, three days after Gazzen from the same neighborhood in an evening raid by security forces.
Last year on June 8, families of victims of enforced disappearances staged a demonstration in front of the Quetta press club to demand the safe release of their loved ones.
During the campaign a video from Quetta, Balochistan went viral. The video shook many to their cores. In the video, Haseeba Qambrani—sister and cousin of the missing Hassan Qambrani, Hizbullah Qambrani and extra-judicially murdered Salman and Gazzain Qambrani— can be seen trembling with wet eyes narrating the sufferings she and her family have been going through due to the agony underwent since the heinous crimes against humanity, begun.
“I belong from a house that already received mutilated dead-bodies. My brothers [Salman and Gazzain Qambarani] have been martyred; their mutilated dead-bodies were dumped by them [security forces]” she narrates in a trembling voice while appealing for the safe release of brother Hassan and cousin Hizbullah.
- The siege in lyari
The Sindh Rangers, a para-military force, sieged Ali Mohammad Muhalla of Lyari, Karachi on March 13, 2018. After intense house-to-house search operation rangers claimed to have killed a total of five ‘terrorists’ but only three of them were later identified as Amir Ali, Mehr Ali, and Chakar Baloch: a mentally challenged person.
Chakar was first abducted by another para-military force called the frontier corps (FC) from district Kech in Balochistan three years back. His mental health was devastated due to the brutal and inhumane torture he suffered at the hands of the security forces.
Amir worked as a TV cable operator and was forcibly disappeared by Rangers 9 months back. According to his family, Rangers demanded a huge amount of money in exchange for the safe release of Amir. The family could not afford to pay the ransom asked by personnel of Rangers.
Mehr was a native of Awaran, Balochistan, and had along with the extended family moved to Karachi due to the constant Military raids and shellings in the area. He was forcibly disappeared from Karachi by Rangers’ personnel on November 14, 2017. A court petition was also filed against the enforced disappearance.
“They said they [Rangers] will release him after some investigations. When it took longer, we filed a case in Sindh High Court. We appealed to the authorities through media, court, and all means we could” said Mahbibi mother of Mehr Ali in a video statement after the rangers declared him killed in an ‘encounter.’
There is a trail of such bloody incidents brushed under the carpet by the deep-state, and the members of the armed forces suspected of criminal responsibility in appalling human rights violations seem to be able to always evade justice in Pakistan.
The armed forces have complete impunity and commit serious human rights violations methodically. Human rights activists, lawyers, and civil society groups have played a key role in pursuing justice, and in seeking reforms, however, they have come under immense pressure by the security forces to end criticism or suffer consequences.
All hope of justice from the state has, seemingly, vanished from the hearts of the population. The only hope for truth and justice for tens of thousands of victims of atrocities by armed forces is the intervention of international bodies in the conflict-ridden areas of Pakistan.
The writer is a human rights defender based in Germany.