QUETTA: The Balochistan government has formed a judicial commission to conduct a probe into the operation carried out by security forces in Ziarat earlier this month.

According to a notification issued on Thursday, the one-member commission would comprise Justice Muhammad Ejaz Swati of the Balochistan High Court.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section (3) of the Balochistan Tribunals of Inquiry Ordinance, 1969, the Government of Balochistan is pleased to appoint Mr Justice Muhammad Ejaz Swati, Judge High Court of Balochistan, as Judicial Commission for conducting [an] inquiry into the killing of persons in Ziarat operation,” read a notification issued by the home department.

According to the commission’s TORs, it will ascertain whether the people killed in the operation were missing persons or otherwise.

The commission would submit its report within 30 days.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudus Bizenjo on Wednesday wrote a letter to the BHC registrar, asking him to nominate a judge for the commission.

On July 16, nine suspected terrorists were killed and a soldier was martyred during an operation against the killers of Lt Col Laiq Baig Mirza, an army officer who was kidnapped while travelling to Quetta from Ziarat along with his cousin, Umer Javed.

The bodies of Lt Col Mirza and Mr Javed were found along the Harnai-Ziarat border.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, five of the nine terrorists belonged to the proscribed Baloch Liberation Army.

The bodies of five out of nine suspected militants were later identified by their families, who claimed that they were missing persons allegedly picked up by security forces. They further claimed that the security forces “staged” the killings and brought these people from custody.

Several political leaders, including BNP-M President Sardar Akhtar Mengal, had called for an inquiry into the operation.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2022