BHRC Condemns Paramilitary Attack on Khan of Kalat's Relatives in Quetta
Baloch Human Rights Council (Canada) | June 5, 2013
Agha Mehrab Ahmadzai, slain cousin of Khan of Kalat Suleiman Daud
Toronto, June 5, 2013: The Baloch Human Rights Council (Canada) condemned the killing and abduction of Mir Suleiman Daud's relatives by the Frontier Corps (FC) during a search operation on Sariab Road in Quetta. According to media sources and reports from Quetta, the residence of Agha Mehrab Khan and his younger brother Agha Najib Ahmadzai, 19, came under attack by FC soldiers. During the pre-dawn raid on Friday, soldiers opened fire and killed Agha Mehrab Khan and took away his brother Agha Najib Ahmadzai to an undisclosed location.
Agha Mehrab Khan and his brother Agha Najib Ahmadzai are sons of Agha Nadir Jan and cousins of Khan of Kalat Mir Suleiman Daud who lives a life of exile in the U.K. because of his political views and demand for a sovereign and independent Balochistan. Khan fled from Pakistan after the 2006 Baloch Grand Council meeting with the mandate to file Balochistan's case for sovereignty at the International Court of Justice in Hague. It is noteworthy that one of Mir Suleiman Daud's elders, Prince Abdul Karim Ahmadzai revolted against the forceful occupation of sovereign Balochistan by the newly founded state of Pakistan in 1948. Prince Karim later agreed to a dialogue on the behest of his elder brother Khan of Kalat Mir Ahmad Yar Khan but was deceived by the Pakistani authorities and sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment.
Moreover, in July 2008, Agha Nauroz Ahmadzai son of Prince Musa Jan Ahmadzai died a sudden tragic death during a celebration event in Quetta when he was hit with several bullets. The suspicion of Agha Nauroz's killing lies on the Pakistani spy agencies who apparently target-killed the young man for his nationalist views about his homeland.
BHRC stated that the recent killing of Agha Mehrab Khan was a politically targeted murder linked to the Kalat ruling family's political background and the Baloch struggle for independence. Agha Najib Ahmadzai's abduction by the state security forces is a continuation of enforced disappearances policy that has resulted in more than 14,000 missing Baloch youth associated with the struggle for rights and freedom.
It should be noted that soon after taking over as interim Chief Minister Balochistan in March, Barozai announced that he would travel to the UK to convince the Khan to end his self-exile. He also intended to meet other Baloch separatist leaders in London and Europe to initiate dialogue with them.
BHRC commented that killing and abduction of Khan of Kalat's family members is yet another proof in the long history of Pakistani establishment's policies that while they issue statements for a political dialogue to resolve conflict in Balochistan; in reality they single mindedly pursue a military solution to the 65-year old dispute and seek complete annihilation of Baloch resistance.
