Judicial commission submits report on Khuzdar mass grave‏

Published
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QUETTA: The judicial commission probing the Khuzdar mass grave incident submitted its report containing statements from 57 individuals to the Balochistan government on Monday, a senior administration official said.

Home Secretary Balochistan, Akbar Hussain Durrani told Dawn.com that Justice Noor Muhammad Muskanzai, who is heading the commission, submitted the report.

Durrani said that the judicial commission conducted thorough hearings with regards to the mass grave and submitted a comprehensive report to the provincial government.

“We cannot make the report public at this point of time,” he said, adding that it would be made public after the arrival of Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch from abroad.

Sources in Home and Tribal Affairs Department Balochistan told Dawn.com that the number of dead bodies reached 17 in the mass grave in Totak area of the province.

However, Baloch nationalists put the figure high than what was being claimed by the officials.

“The number of dead bodies in Totak is more than official figures,” seasoned Baloch nationalist leader, Dr Hayee Baloch told Dawn.com.

He urged upon the government to take action against those involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, the home secretary however assured that people would be apprised about the facts regarding the mass grave and nothing would be hidden from them.

In late January 2014, a shepherd had spotted a mass grave in district Khuzdar’s Totak area.

The news drew criticism from human rights groups, political parties and civil society. Subsequently, Chief Minister Dr Malik Baloch announced the formation of a judicial commission to bring facts about the tragedy.

Soon after the mass grave was found, the Balochistan government formed a judicial commission headed by Justice Muskanzai of the Balochistan High Court to probe into the incident.

Khuzdar is considered to be one of the most sensitive districts of Balochistan.

Targeted killings, bombings and rocket attacks have claimed scores of lives in the district and forced many to migrate to Sindh and other parts of Balochistan.

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