Islamabad, Oct 12 (PTI) A top government official in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province was today shot dead by unidentified assailants in what police described as part of targeted sectarian killings in the region.
The motorcycle-borne gunmen sprayed bullets at Provincial Chief Inspector of Mines, Muhammad Ashraf, as he emerged from his house to go to his office in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan.
Ashraf was critically injured and rushed to the city's main hospital, where he died.
The gunmen fled after shooting Ashraf and no group claimed responsibility for the attack. Ashraf's relatives protested against the killing and blamed police for failing to protect lives of the people.
Police said the killing of Ashraf, who belonged to the Hazara Shia community, was part of a campaign of targeted killings in Balochistan.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/326836_To ... t-dead-in-Pak-s-southwest
HRCP for demilitarisation of Balochistan
12.10.2009
QUETTA: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Sunday urged the government to immediately demilitarise Balochistan, warning of dire consequences if such confidence-building measures were not implemented.
HRCP Chairwoman Asma Jahangir informed journalists that a delegation that had travelled to Balochistan last week found 30 cases of “enforced disappearances”, allegedly perpetrated by state intelligence agencies, had been reported in the province after the induction of a democratic government in February 2008. She said the human rights organisation had “ample evidence to support the allegations of the victims’ families that the perpetrators of the enforced disappearances are intelligence agencies and security forces. This has been conceded by officials and politicians in high authority”. “The military still calls the shots (in Balochistan) ... the decision-making is firmly in the hands of elements that were in command before February 2008 ... The provincial government is not functioning in critical areas,” she said, adding the government needed to immediately transfer all power to the elected civilian government. malik siraj akbar
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default. ... 12story_12-10-2009_pg7_11
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