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Family of Abdul Qadir Kalmati appeals for help

The family of Abdul Qadir Kalmati is appealing for help. Their son, age 19, and a clerk in a poultry company, was arrested on the night of April 1, 2011, in Gaddap Malir (Siraj Ahmed village), Balochistan.

(link to original appeal)

While no charges were made at the time of the arrest, a relative of Mr. Kalmati's writes that on April 3 Abdul Qadir Kalmati was produced before Pakistani media (Geo TV, BBC-Urdu, etc.) and described as being a member of Lashkar-e-Balochistan. A CID police spokesman claims that Abdul Qadir was 'caught in the act' of planting an explosive device near Police Lines, Garden Area, Karachi. The spokesman added that the accused subsequently pointed out the location of other weapons and explosive devices in Karachi, reported to include: a BM-rocket, a 4-kg explosive device, a 30-kg anti tank landmine-explosive, 107 additional explosive devices and detonators. Mr. Kalmati is also alleged to have confessed to attacking a religious procession on February 1 this year in the Malir area. Additionally, he is accused of a rocket attack in Malir City, Karachi, on March 23, as well as planning a terrorist attack during Z.A. Bhutto anniversary events.

Abdul Qadir's family depends on their son's earnings from his position as a clerk in a poultry company and they are seeking support for their son's defense against what they claim to be fabricated charges. Given the reputation of Pakistan's intelligence agencies, one must question the reliability of any confession, for in Pakistan confessions are often elicited through torture. (In a recent Guardian article, Declan Walsh describes 'a powerful army that seeks to quash their [the Baloch] insurgency with maximum prejudice.' Their well-documented tactics include torture.)

Numerous charges have been leveled at this Baloch youth by agencies notorious for corruption. One hopes Mr. Kalmati will find a defense team that is willing and able to investigate the charges and defend him in a court of law. The family has no resources for this fight and for this reason has reached out to the media in an effort to publicize their son's case.

Below are two news reports related to the arrest:

Date: 3 April 2011 source BBC Urdu

Date: Sunday, April 03, 2011 Geo TV

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