Two Dozen Face Torture, Long Jail Terms

A Sweden-based Baluch human rights group has urged human rights organizations and lawmakers in the West to intercede on behalf of two dozen Baluch prisoners who are being torture in the infamous Mach Jail in Baluchistan by the Pakistani secuirty forces.

“International institutions must take action agianst Pakistani atrocities on Baluch prisoners in Mach jail in Baluchistan,” the Baluch Human Rights Watch said.

The organization said it was appaled over the fake charges against the 24.

The premier Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Asian Human Rights Commission, and Amnesty International (AI) have detailed countless cases of torture of Baluch activists in the custody of Pakistani military, paramilitary, intelligence services and police.

I.A. Rehman, Pakistan's reknowned journalist and secretary general of the HRCP in a statement last summer said, accused the government of Pakistan of misleading the UNHRC by assuring it that security forces were trained in Humanitarian Law and that alleged human rights violations by them were investigated as well as precautions taken to avoid “collateral damage”.

“HRCP has authentic reports of disappearances, torture, and illegal detention carried out by the security forces with impunity,” Rahman said. “A large number of non-combatants have been targeted and killed by the security forces and so far, no inquiry or investigation has been carried out.”

According to BHRW the security agencies arrest the Baloch political workers unconstitutionally and send them to Gestapo-style torture cells for physical and mental agony.

The group also listed the names of the victims, their father's name, the city they belonged to, and the number years they will remain incarcerated:

1- Aziz also known as Haider son of Heero Baloch, area Dera Murad Jamali, 25 years;

2- Sakendar son of Mando Bugti,a rea Dera Murad Jamali, sentence, 25 years;

3- Nabi Dad son of Bhar Bugti,area Dera Bugti, 14 years;

4- Zafar son of Juma Khan Marri, area Dera Murad Jamali, punishment, 13 years;

5- Master Mohammad Aqeel son of AbdulAziz Bugti, Sui, 12 years;

6- Mohammad Ashraf, son of, Din Mohammad Bugti, Sui,11 years;

7- Balach, son of Ghulam Hassan Bugti, area Sui, punishment 10 years;

8- Mohammad Khan son Asad ullah Bugti,Sibi, 10 years;

9- Ali Beeg, son of Tekharon Bugti, Sui, 10 years;

10- Mohammad Hassan son of Gohar Khan Lango, Quetta, 10 years;

11- Ghulam Mohammad son of Ghulam Rasool Bugti, area Sibi, 10 years;

12- Ahmed, son of Dana Dugti, Sui, punishment, eight years;

13- Habib Ullah son of Dost Ali Bugti, Sui, eight years;

14- Sadiq son of Lal Khan Bugti, area Sibi, seven years;

15- Sher Ali, son of Boumbour Bugti , Sibi, seven years;

16- Sher Jan, son of Heer Din Bugti,area Sui, seven years;

17- Mir Ahmed, son of Ramzan Bugti, Sui, seven years;

18- Sona Khan, son of Horan bugti,area Sui, seven years;

19- Aziz Din, son of Greva Bugti, area Sui, seven years;

20- Manchi, son of Kher Mohammad, area Dera Murad Jamali, seven years;

21- Geeta son of Heerul din bugti, area Sui, seven years;

22- Ahmed Khan son of Jalal Khan Marri, area Quetta, seven years;

23- Toor Khan s/o Ghani Khan Marri,area Sibi, punishment three years;

24- Mohammad Murad son of Rindak Bugti, Dera Bugti, two years.

The cases against these political activists were totally fabricated, the BHRW said. “They are suffering great mental agony," the press statement said, adding “They are deprived of even the most basic health facilities.”

The statement said the irony of the situation is that Pakistani security forces arrest innocent Baloch political workers without any proof and then the judges rubber stamp the cock-and-bull story of spy agencies and the police.

Both the personnel of the secuirty forces and the judges are aliens in Baluchistan and mostly belong to the dominant Punjabi and Mohajir ethnic groups.

Pakistan coup leader-turned-president General Pervez Musharraf was a Mohajir--or immigrants who came to Pakistan from India in search of better jobs-- and his mother was a dancer from Lucknow, India. Lucknow was historically famed for its redlight areas.

In Baluchistan, not only the infamous Inter Services Intelliegence, but also the Military Intelligence actively hound and torture political activists.

The BHRW regretted that the jail for the 24 Baluch activist runs contrary to the promises of provincial government of Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani. It said President Asif Ali Zardari had publicly apologized to the Baluch and held out an assurance that the wrongs of the Musharraf regime would be undone and all political workers will be freed.

The Baluch body urged international and Pakistani human rights bodies to help end the plight of the 24 Baloch prisoners of conscience at Mach Jail.