Balochistan unrest: Govt wakes up from slumber

With no respite in violence in the insurgency-hit Balochistan, the federal government is all set to deliberate upon its policy on the restive province at a high-level meeting being held today (Tuesday) to review the reconciliation process with rebel Baloch leaders, the deteriorating law and order situation and the issue of missing persons and dumping of mutilated bodies on the agenda list.
Meanwhile, two police personnel were killed in a brazen gun attack in Quetta while seven bullet-riddled bodies were found in various parts of the province.
An official source said that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani would chair the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Balochistan which would also be attended by Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani, Law Minister Farooq Naik, Balochistan Chief Minister Aslam Raisani, the Balochistan governor and members of the Balochistan cabinet.
The source said the meeting was being held after some specific remarks made by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry during the recent hearing of the missing persons’ case.
He said the prime minister was perturbed over the CJP’ remarks about imposition of emergency and this was the reason that he was time and again making statements that there was no option of imposition of emergency or martial law in the country.
The source added that the prime minister wanted to address the situation so that the judiciary or the opposition could not score points over Balochistan.
The prime minister would discuss the role of the security forces in Balochistan and especially, the conduct of FC would be taken up during the meeting.
Naik, who also heads the cabinet committee on Balochistan, called on Prime Minister Gilani at the PM’s House on Monday and discussed several legal matters. He also briefed the prime minister on legal aspects regarding the missing persons’ case.
The law minister discussed with the prime minister various subjects on Balochistan that would be taken up in the meeting today. In Quetta, a police vehicle, carrying two officials, was on routine patrol in the Sariab area when two armed men opened indiscriminate fire on them, killing the constable on the spot.

The ASI initially received bullet injuries but later died at the hospital.
The ASI was identified as Abdul Qayyum while the constable was identified as Mohammad Asif.
When contacted, Sariab SP Iskundar Tareen told Pakistan Today that both police officials were killed in the attack and no arrest had been made so far, adding that the attackers fled soon after the attack.
Meanwhile, seven bullet-riddled bodies including those of two real brothers were recovered in Quetta, Khuzdar and Dera Bugti districts on Monday.
Police officials said three bodies were found in gunny bags in Ferozabad area in the outskirts of Quetta.
The bodies were shifted to Bolan Medical College where they were identified as Mehran Khan Kiyazai, Mohammad Khan Marri and his borther Muhammad Nabi Marri.
Another body was found in Pashtoonabad area. It was identified as that of Habibullah Noorzai. Another two bodies were recovered in the Dera Bugti area.
A spokesman for the Baloch Republican Party (BRP), Sher Muhammad Bugti claimed that these bodies were dumped the other day in Pinhinain area of Dera Bugti district. He identified them as Ali Khan Bugti and Wali Muhammad Bugti who had been missing since March 12, 2005.
Police took the dead bodies to Bolan Medical Complex for autopsy.
In another incident, some unidentified motorcyclists opened fire on pedestrians on Ispini Road and killed an unidentified passer-by.