A division bench of the Balochistan High Court (BHC), comprising Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Nazeer Ahmed Langove, has issued orders for the immediate suspension of four Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel. The decision comes in connection with the alleged extra-judicial killing of 24-year-old Baloch man, Balach Baloch, in the Makran belt.
The court’s decision stems from a constitutional petition filed by the family members of the deceased, who hold the CTD personnel responsible for the tragic incident. The CTD, however, has refuted the allegations, asserting that the incident was an armed clash between security forces and miscreants on Pasni Road, Turbat.
In response to the petition, the division bench not only suspended the implicated CTD personnel but also directed the government to transfer the investigation against them to Crimes Branch Quetta.
Following the court’s decision, an FIR was registered against the four CTD personnel on the directives of Turbat sessions judge, as the family seeks justice for the deceased.
A long march, organized in protest against the killing of Balach Baloch and others, as well as cases of enforced disappearances, has made its way from Turbat to Quetta. The participants faced obstacles in Surab, Mastung, and Lak-Pass, finally entering the provincial capital. However, the district administration’s roadblocks in Quetta, including the sealing of the Red Zone, led to disruptions in the traffic system and caused significant delays for commuters.
Balach Baloch and three others were allegedly killed in a CTD operation on November 23 in Turbat. The family members, joined by people from the area, initiated a sit-in to protest the killings, demanding an FIR against the CTD officials. This demonstration later evolved into a collective movement, with families of other missing persons joining the cause.
