Zehri avoiding media on issue of Balochistan killings

Mumtaz Alvi
Monday, October 10, 2011

ISLAMABAD: While terrorists can gun down innocent people, mostly labourers, pilgrims and settlers whenever they feel so, Balochistan Home Minister Mir Zafar Zehri remains inaccessible to media.

Ostensibly, the minister, who is a brother of Senator Israr Ullah Zehri, has no answer to the ever perplexing question of target killing victims: their bodies continue to be thrown at roadsides and parks. Israr heads Balochistan National Party (Awami), which is the PPP-led ruling coalition’s component in the Centre and as well as Balochistan.

The minister usually stays away from media, and hence sparsely his statements are seen in newspapers. Whenever this correspondent tried to contact him, usually his driver would receive the call on his cell phone to say, the minister is busy in a meeting.

Despite repeated attempts during these months, this correspondent failed to talk to him about what measures his ministry has been taking to improve security situation and to arrest the trend of executions of poor Hazaras because of his non-availability.

One of his cabinet colleagues, the PPP’s Deputy Parliamentary Leader in the provincial assembly, Ali Madad Jattak, who is a communication minister, while talking to The News here for his comment on why the provincial government had not been able to control killings of poor natives, he had no clear opinion on this count.

“The prime responsibility of a home minister is to ensure protection to life and property of people, and unfortunately, violence of different dimensions keep on happening to rock the province,” the provincial minister maintained.

He agreed with this correspondent that the minister should be questioned why this all gory trend was continuing under his nose. Similarly, the Balochistan minister contended that the Home Department should also be pulled up for its glaring failures in providing security to the residents of the province.

“The provincial government is so much concerned about the poor security situation but keeping in view the province in terms of its massive area, regional situation and international politics, one should try to understand all these factors,” Ali Madad emphasised.

Within a month, about 100 Hazaras, mostly labourers, have been shot dead in execution style: Likewise, media also keep on reporting about recovery of mutilated bodies, but the home minister is lucky to survive despite all these mind-boggling happenings.

THE NEWS