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Violence in Balochistan on the rise, says HRCP
Saturday, February 11,
2006
Staff Report
PESHAWAR: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed deep
concern over the escalation of violence in Balochistan.
“The use of heavy weapons by the armed forces and Balochistan militants
has a deadly fall out for women and children,” said Afrasiyab Khattak,
member of HRCP mission to Balochistan. He said that lack of access to
humanitarian organisations was aggravating the crisis as the people
affected by the conflict could not receive any assistance.
A very disturbing development in the last few days was the attacks on the
houses of political leaders, he said. “As if the attack on Akbar Bugti’s
residence was not enough, the state intelligence agencies raided the house
of a prominent political leader, Mehmood Khan Achakzai in Quetta,” he
said. They broke into the house and arrested three security guards. He
said the government had not offered any explanation for its actions.
Khattak said that there was a grave human rights crisis in Balochistan.
“Civil society groups and human rights activists should not only monitor
the situation but also pressurise the authorities concerned to end
violence, torture, arbitrary arrest and harassment in Balochistan,” he
said.
Source:
DailyTimes
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