October 24, 2002	Thursday	Sha’aban 17,1423

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QUETTA, Oct 23: At least two persons were killed and five others injured, one of them seriously, when Mekran Scouts, a wing of the Frontier Corps, opened fire to disperse the protesting mobs in Panjgur on Wednesday.

After the firing incident, people attacked the government buildings and burnt down the offices of district coordination officer (DCO), Panjgur, district Nazim and Qazi Court, official sources told Dawn when contacted by phone in Panjgur late evening.

They confirmed the death of two young men, and said after the incident all bazaars, shops and business centres of the Panjgur township were closed in protest.

“Mekran Scouts opened fire on the protesting people twice during the agitation,” an eyewitness account said.

Those killed were identified as Nisar Ahmed and Noor Mohammed.

The trouble started when a patrolling party of the Mekran Scouts started checking the vehicles within the premises of township. A score of vehicles were detained during the checking, the act generally resented by the people of the area.

There were incidents of stone-pelting on passing vehicles, mainly targeting the FC personnel. The FC personnel, all of a sudden, opened fire on the crowd, killing Nisar Ahmed on the spot.

The crowd swelled and the clash intensified. The FC people again opened fire, killing Noor Mohammed.

Official and hospital sources confirmed the death of two persons and injuries to five others. Two of the injured persons were identified as Mohammad Naeem and Ali Akbar while three others remained unidentified.