Tahir Bizenjo Sees Disappearances As Balochistan’s Biggest Issue

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA: Former senator and the central secretary general of  the National Party (NP),  Tahir Bizenjo, has termed the issue of  ” missing persons” as Balochistan’s biggest issue right now and feared that the trust deficit between the government and the Baloch people would further widen if the government did not ensure the timely recovery of  all the missing persons.

Addressing a news conference at Quetta Press Club on Wednesday, he said thousands of people are reported to be missing and every family is spending their lives under painful circumstances, contrary the PPP-led government seemed not to be taking any practical steps in this regard.

“If Government has a list of 99 missing persons they should release or bring them on surface so that the efforts and sincerity could be visible,” he added. He claimed that some people are misleading the Prime Minister regarding missing persons’ list providing fake information in order to conceal the real causes.

He strongly criticized the Balochistan Government over the missing persons issue and suggested that if they can not play a role then they must resign without any delay.

Tahir Bizenjo called upon the national and international humanitarian organizations to intervene in the issue of missing persons and play their due role against the violation of human rights in Balochistan.

He emphasized the need of united front among the all major political parties of the country to start a country-wide movement for recovery of missing persons.

“Government and opposition vis-à-vis religious parties are paying less attention towards this burning issue and their performance have been restricted in the Press statements,” said Bizenjo adding that PML-N and member of civil society should also wage a movement as they supported lawyer movement,” he added.

Meanwhile, relatives of Zakir Majeed, who had been missing for a year, had continued their hunger strike on 56 consecutive days on Wednesday. The hunger strike camp was established outside of the Quetta Press Club.

While talking to media, sister of Zakir Majeed has claimed that her brother was allegedly whisked away by Government functionaries from Mastung Town on June 8^th, 2009.

“No one is making any effort to trace the whereabouts of my brother, the government and nationalist parties just expressing grief and sorrow and seemed to be powerless before the Government functionaries,” she said adding that despite the Supreme Court directed to lodge FIR of missing persons cases, the Mastung Police Station had refused to register the case. Judiciary had constituted a commission and government established a cell but not single person could be traced during the past two years.

“The number of missing persons are more than eight thousands and most of the families are illiterate even do not know where to go for appeal thus the details of a large number of missing persons could not be ascertained,” she claimed.

She also criticized the National and International Humanitarian Organizations for not taking action against the violation of human rights.

body of hotel keeper found

By Our Reporter               s/c front

QUETTA: A bullet-riddle body of a hotel keeper had been found on Wednesday, from mountainous area of Kalat district, some 140-kilometer of Quetta.

Haji Nazir Jan was kidnapped for ransom on May 22, from Mastung Town by a gang of armed men. Local people spotted the body and informed the local police. The body was shifted to Quetta for autopsy. He was shot in the head ensuring his instant death, doctors said.

The trader was an owner of a roadside hotel in Mastung. Family sources said the kidnappers had demanded heavy sum of money as ransom for the release of lat Nizar Jan but they refuse to pay the ransom money.

Later, the relatives of slain man and others took out a protest rally along with the body and marched towards Governor’s House where they held a sit-in blocking the road for vehicular traffic. They demanded to arrest the culprits involved in this heinous crime. Police squad rushed to the spot and asked the protestors to clear the road.

Police lobbed tear gas shells on the protestors when they refused to call of their strike. Police also fired some blank shots in the air to scare the protesters. The protest continued for two hours during which protestors shouted slogans against the government.

The administration held talks with protestors and assured that the culprits will soon be brought to book then they called of their strike.

Meanwhile, angry protest blocked the national highway near Dera Allahyar in protest against the hostage-taking of tribal elder.

Tribal elder, Sher Ahmed Mohammad Shahi, was abducted a week ago from Usta Mohammad by unknown armed men at gun point. The protestors had put up barricade on National Highway disrupting the flow of traffic.

The protestors had demanded early and safe release of their elder and said if he was not freed from the captivity of kidnappers’ possession, the protest will be continued.

Traffic was remained suspended for several hours which caused great difficulties for passengers as they were confined to the coaches and small vehicles under scorching sun.

The local administrators later managed to pacify the demonstrators and assured that every possible step would be taken to recovery the Mr. Sher Ahmed.