Protest in Quetta going on for second day after bodies recovered in Barkhan well
QUETTA, Feb 22 (SABAH): Marri tribesmen continued their sit-in outside the Red Zone in Quetta for the second consecutive day on Wednesday after bullet-riddled bodies of a woman and her two sons were found in a well near Barkhan.
The situation stemmed from the discovery of the bodies late on Monday night said to be the wife and two sons of one Khan Muhammad Marri.
“These are the bodies of my wife and two sons who were kept in a private jail in Haji Kot for the last four years,” he said, identifying them as his 40-year-old wife Granaz, and sons Muhammad Anwar (22) and Abdul Qadir (15).
Marri, who was once employed as a security guard with a provincial minister, alleged that his wife and sons were being held in the private jail of Balochistan Minister for Communication and Works Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran, adding that five more of his children, including his 13-year-old daughter, were still languishing there.
The case has sparked an outcry on social media and even in the Balochistan Assembly. Subsequently, the police raided Khetran’s house. However, no arrest was reported.
Meanwhile, members of the Marri tribes have been staging a sit-in in Quetta along with the bodies, for the past 12 hours. They told media persons that their demonstration will continue until a first information report (FIR) was registered against Khetran.
The demonstrators also announced that they would not call off their demonstration or bury the bodies until Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif paid them a visit.
Separately, Marri said that there was a threat to him and his children. “My family is receiving death threats.” He demanded that protection be provided to him so that he could visit his deceased family members.
In a tweet on Wednesday, former prime minister Imran Khan also demanded immediate action against the ‘law of the jungle’.
Balochistan Minister for Home Affairs Mir Ziaullah wrote a letter to the law enforcement agencies seeking the safe recovery of Marri’s family members.
The letter was addressed to the additional chief secretary of Balochistan, inspector general of police, joint director of the Intelligence Bureau, The Headquarter Inter-Services Intelligence and Headquarter Military Intelligence.
It stated with grave concern that some of Muhammad Khan Marri’s family were still missing, which generates a bad impact on law and order as well as on the image of law enforcement agencies. “It is the responsibility of all law enforcement agencies to protect the life of the public,” the letter pointed out.
“Keeping in view of the above, it is stated that immediate steps be taken for the safe recovery of all remaining family members and a report therefore may be submitted in the office of the undersigned within 24 hours, positively,” it added.