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HRCP fact-finding missions’ report 11
Part-1
Visit to Quetta and Sibi
At the fringe of mayhem
HRCP had decided to visit Quetta in order to assess the gravity of human rights violations being
reported to them. It also wished to ascertain the nature of any conflict in Kohlu district or to determine if it was
in fact a ‘law and order’ situation, as claimed by the authorities. HRCP also wished to assess the damage, if
any, to human life and verify reports of human rights violations. The team was unable to travel to areas of Kohlu
district where there was fighting, but received credible reports of bombing, the use of heavy weaponry and first
hand accounts of torture, disappearances and other rights violations, which are included in this report.
After arriving in Quetta on December 26th, 2005, the fact-finding team met with leaders of political
parties and members of civil society, including journalists and lawyers, as well as victims of human rights abuses
and their families. The HRCP team was provided a number of examples of misleading statements made by
government officials to fan Baloch-Punjabi differences. The team was also given examples by government
officials of incidents suspecting Baloch nationalists of killing Punjabi travellers. In December 2005, a passenger
bus was stopped by some unknown armed persons at Bolan near Mach. Three men traveling from Sadiqabad
were pulled out and shot dead. According to press reports they were singled out for being Punjabis. But no
other incident was confirmed through any source.
The team was presented with written and oral testimonies of cases of killings of civilians amounting to
extrajudicial executions, disappearances, torture, and arbitrary detention. HRCP could not verify all the reports
presented to the mission. They could well be credible, but owing to information gaps, these are not included in
this report. HRCP plans to follow up the information it has received.
Members of the team travelled to Sibi and then onwards to Talli. They took the dirt road, which was
under development at the time. It led to Kahan via Navand.
During this journey the team was able to speak to a number of ordinary citizens. They passed a number
of check-posts set up by the Frontier Corps. Their car was searched and the team noticed that at a number of
check posts the treatment meted out by the paramilitary personnel to all those passing through was tough.
At a check point in Talli, where a dirt road eventually led to Kahan, in Kohlu district, the team was
stopped. All other vehicles were being turned away, but the team insisted on proceeding further. They were