Balochistan: Two brothers killed in fake encounter by Pakistani forces in Kalat
Sep 08, 2024
Kalat (Balochistan) [Pakistan], September 8 : As the situation in Balochistan continues to be grim, two brothers, Ismail and Habibullah, were allegedly killed by Pakistani forces in a fake encounter following their extrajudicial arrest.
The two brothers, who were residents of the Narmak area of Kalat district, were reportedly taken into custody during a raid at their home before being killed hours later.
According to the family, Ismail and Habibullah, sons of Abdul Nabi Lahri, were innocent civilians involved in agriculture and manual labour.
One of the brothers was also suffering from a serious illness, casting further doubt on their alleged involvement in militant activities. The family has vehemently rejected the Pakistani forces' claim of their involvement in terrorism, calling the deaths a "fake encounter" meant to cover up an extrajudicial killing.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistani military, issued a statement on Saturday, claiming that the two men were "alleged terrorists" who were killed during an operation near Kalat.
The statement also mentioned that a large cache of weapons and ammunition was recovered during the raid. However, the ISPR did not disclose the identities of the deceased.
However, in contrast to the Pak military's statement, the family of the victims claim that the two brothers were forcibly detained from their home in Nirmak before being killed.
Meanwhile, several human rights organisations have also raised concerns about the incident.
Paank, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement, took to social media platform X, stating, "PAANK is deeply concerned about the extrajudicial killing of two brothers, Ismail and Habibullah, in Kalat, Balochistan, by Pakistani security forces. According to our sources, the brothers were forcibly detained from their home and later killed in a staged encounter".
https://x.com/paank_bnm/status/1832479099727835560
The incident has added to the growing accusations of human rights violations in Balochistan, where enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings are frequently reported. Human rights groups are calling for an independent investigation into the deaths of Ismail and Habibullah, demanding accountability for the actions of Pakistani forces in the region.
But, as of now, no further comment has been made by the authorities regarding the family's allegations.
