Balochistan CM takes notice of death of PTM's Arman Loni, seeks report within 48 hours

Published February 3, 2019
Senior member of PTM Arman Loni. ─ Photo courtesy Twitter
Senior member of PTM Arman Loni. ─ Photo courtesy Twitter

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani on Sunday took notice of the death of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) senior member Arman Loni — who was allegedly killed during a sit-in in Loralai on Saturday — and sought a report from the commissioner of Zhob district.

According to an official handout, CM Alyani has directed that the report be submitted to him within 48 hours.

Following his death, Loni's family and members of PTM maintained that he was killed in a police crackdown and demanded that the Balochistan government take notice of his death.

The Quetta SSP operations, however, said on Sunday that the postmortem exam did not find any signs of violence or injuries on the deceased's body.

MNAs Mohsin Dawar (left) and Ali Wazir (right). ─ Photos courtesy National Assembly website
MNAs Mohsin Dawar (left) and Ali Wazir (right). ─ Photos courtesy National Assembly website

Earlier on Sunday, the Member of National Assembly (MNA) from North Waziristan, Mohsin Dawar, said that the government of Balochistan had imposed a ban on his entry into the province, as well as that of his fellow parliamentarian Ali Wazir.

Dawar, in his tweet, alleged that the provincial government had imposed the ban "to stop us from attending the funeral of Arman Loni". Both Dawar and Wazir are prominent leaders of the PTM.

According to a notification — dated February 3 — shared by Dawar on Twitter, "the Deputy Inspector General of Police Loralai Range has recommended imposition of ban on entry of Dawar and Wazir along with their supporters of PTM in the province [...] in the best interest of public peace and security".

Notification dated February 3 shared by MNA Mohsin Dawar on Twitter.
Notification dated February 3 shared by MNA Mohsin Dawar on Twitter.

The shared notification notes that the provincial government "has reasons to believe that circumstances exist that demand extraordinary vigilance and extensive security means to preempt any untoward incident".

"Under sub-section (5)(1)(a) and (c) of the Balochistan Maintenance Public Order Ordinance 1960, the government is pleased to impose ban on entry of Dawar and Wazir along with their supporters with immediate effect for ninety [90] seven days," adds the notification shared by the MNA.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemned the “brutal killing of Arman Loni in Loralai” and demanded that an “independent and transparent inquiry” be conducted into the incident.

PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar criticised the ban on entry of the MNAs, calling it "shameful, disgusting".

Last year in June, Dawar was banned from entering North Waziristan for three months by the agency's political administration.

"Dawar is acting in a manner prejudicial to public peace and tranquility," the local political agent had stated in a notification. "He is instigating the people through provocative speeches against the state."

Later, the PHC set aside the North Waziristan administration's directives barring Dawar from entering the area.

Also last year, the duo were placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) after a case was registered against them in Swabi. The lawmakers came to know about the ban on their travel abroad on Nov 30 when they were offloaded from a Dubai-bound flight on Peshawar airport.

On Dec 20, 2018, the federal cabinet directed the Ministry of Interior to "immediately" remove names of the MNAs from the ECL. The directives were issued during a meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

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