QUETTA: Balochistan Minister for Home and Tribal Affairs Mir Ziaullah Langove has said that the killers of tribal elder Nawab Amanullah Zarakzai, his grandson and two guards have been identified and they were asked to surrender within 48 hours.

Speaking at a press conference along with IG Police Mohsin Hussain Butt and Balochistan government’s spokesman Liaquat Ali Shahwani on Sunday, he said: “The murder of Nawab Zarakzai took place because of a tribal issue.”

He said the late tribal elder’s wife had nominated 10 people in the FIR registered with Levies’ Zehri post. “They should surrender within two days before the authorities and after that action will be taken to arrest all those nominated in the FIR,” he said.

The home minister did not disclose the names of the people named in the FIR.

However, the people nominated in the FIR include former chief minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, his brother MPA Naimatullah Zehri and special assistant to the former chief minister Agha Shekeel Ahmed, who is also a close relative of Mr Zehri.

The case has been registered under Sections 302, 109, 143, 145, 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Nawab Sanaullah Zehri is also close relative of late Nawab Amanullah Zarakzai.

Mr Langove said that the government would arrest the accused after the deadline given to them ended.

In reply to a question, he said that Nawab Amanullah Zarakzai had not requested the government to provide security.

He said that terrorist incidents in the province had been reduced to a great extent with the joint efforts of the government and security forces.

The minister said the government was making all-out efforts to trace the terrorists involved in the recent bomb blasts in Quetta.

He said investigation was under way into the Kuchlak mosque blast that claimed four lives. The brother of Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhandzada was also killed in that blast.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2019