Turbat killings
Encyclopedia
The Turbat killings refers to the murder of three prominent Baloch nationalist political leaders in April 2009, allegedly at the hands of Pakistan
i spy agencies, including the Inter-Services Intelligence
and the Military Intelligence
. The three murdered were:
According to an eyewitness, the trio were picked up by members of a security agency after they attended a court hearing in Turbat
on April 3, 2009. Their mutilated and decomposed bodies were found five days later on April 8, 2009 in Pidrak, 35km away from their place of arrest.
The killings sparked protests, riots and strikes in towns and cities in Balochistan
and other Baloch
-dominated areas of Pakistan
.
The three murdered activists had been members of the committee that negotiated the release of abducted American UNCHR official John Solecki
just days before their own abduction and murder.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i spy agencies, including the Inter-Services Intelligence
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
and the Military Intelligence
Military Intelligence of Pakistan
In Pakistan Defence Forces, the Directorate-General for the Military Intelligence , is a Pakistan Defence Forces intelligence agency and that is responsible for the military counter-intelligence. It also refers specifically to the intelligence components of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Unlike the...
. The three murdered were:
- Ghulam Mohammed BalochGhulam Mohammed BalochGhulam Mohammed Baloch was a Baloch nationalist politician. At the time of his death, he was serving as the president of the Baloch National Movement, as well as the General Secretary of the newly formed Baloch National Front. He had earlier served as a chairman of the Baloch Students Organization...
, 45, chairman of the Baloch National MovementBaloch National MovementThe Baloch National Movement is a Baloch nationalist political organization. Ghulam Mohammed Baloch served as the party's president before his murder in April 2009, allegedly by Pakistani security forces. The party is a member of the Baloch National Front, also spearheaded by G.M. Baloch.-External... - Lala Munir Baloch, 50, general secretary of the Baloch National FrontBaloch National FrontThe Baloch National Front is a political alliance of eight Baloch nationalist organizations who are against parliamentary political participation in Pakistan. The BNF was formed in February 2009...
- Sher Mohammed Bugti, 35, vice chairman of the Baloch Republican PartyBaloch Republican PartyThe Baloch Republican Party is a Baloch nationalist party in Balochistan headed by Brahamdagh Khan Bugti. It was formed after Brahamdagh Bugti broke away from the Jamhoori Watan Party, originally formed by his grandfather Akbar Bugti.-External links:*...
According to an eyewitness, the trio were picked up by members of a security agency after they attended a court hearing in Turbat
Turbat
Turbat is a city located in southern Balochistan, a province of Pakistan. The town is the administrative center of Kech District and Turbat Tehsil, the town itself contains one Union council.-About:...
on April 3, 2009. Their mutilated and decomposed bodies were found five days later on April 8, 2009 in Pidrak, 35km away from their place of arrest.
The killings sparked protests, riots and strikes in towns and cities in Balochistan
Balochistan
Balochistan or Baluchistan is a region which covers parts of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. It can also refer to one of several modern and historical territories within that region:...
and other Baloch
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
-dominated areas of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
The three murdered activists had been members of the committee that negotiated the release of abducted American UNCHR official John Solecki
John Solecki
John Solecki is a U.S. official for the UNHCR, working in Quetta, Pakistan. On February 2, 2009, he was kidnapped by a previously unknown Baloch nationalist militant group calling itself the Balochistan Liberation United Front. His driver Syed Hashim was shot and later died at a local hospital...
just days before their own abduction and murder.