Balochistan: The settlement of unidentifiable dead bodies

By Ahmed Khan

Edhi volunteer informs in BBC Urdu report more than 131 unidentified bodies are buried in graveyard. Latest report adds more 12 bodies in number of unrecognized corpses recovered in Balochistan

In suburb of provincial capital, the Quetta, in Dasht a settlement is made by Edhi Foundation for unidentified dead bodies found in Balochistan. The said settlement is around 30 Km distance from metropolitan. In this deserted area, a graveyard is established by the Edhi Foundation for the remains of unidentified dead bodies found throughout Balochistan which are considered to be beyond the recognition. The Edhi volunteers have recovered numerous decomposed bodies from various regions of Balochistan and brought them all for burial in at the Dasht settlement where they allocated a cemetery for unidentified dead human bodies. They say it is the third graveyard, two others they’ve already specified in other cities of Pakistan. During last 26 months 131 unrecognized dead bodies that bear signs of torture and were presumably killed as a result of torture are buried in these mentioned graveyards. All these dead are buried as temporary, they claimed in a video report published in BBC Urdu.

The dead bodies we recovered are perished and are in badly deteriorated. Mostly these decomposed bodies are found in mountainous areas. These facts were narrated in the BBC report by Mohammad Arif, an Edhi foundation volunteer.

Mohammad Arif went on to say that “Balochistan is vast and its area is extended widely. In any district in province, we receive information about dead bodies, so go through and we have recovered bodies in districts of Kalat, Mastung, Pashin, Kuchlak and others. The discussed recovered bodies are totally mutilated and beyond the recognition. We take photos of these mutilated bodies and upload in internet and Facebook intentionally that their relatives may know about them and contact for identification and further they bury the dead with human dignity. But hardly out of hundred five to eight dead bodies are recognized by the relatives.”

Throughout Balochistan, only the Civil Hospital Quetta is facilitated for post-mortem reports. Dr Aisha, the Police surgeon (medical examiner) told that among these unrecognized and mutilated bodies the majority of them are youth. Often chemical, acid and limestone is mired on faces of mentioned decompose bodies that hints it is done intentionally to impair the identification of the bodies.

In Balochistan, thousands political workers are missing. The Supreme Court of Pakistan passed order for DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) test and match with relatives of missing person.

Baloch Human Rights Organization personal Seema Baloch said that the relatives of missing persons go through the Civil Hospital Quetta and in other areas’ hospitals for giving DNA samples, but no hospital takes their samples, and victim families return despairingly. They are unable to recognize these mutilated bodies which have been brought are of their beloved ones, because these bodies are in unidentifiable conditions. The human rights organization activists told in BBC Urdu.

The latest incident was reported On March 27, 2019, more 12 bodies were buried in same cemetery for unidentified bodies at Dasht, by Edhi volunteers. The bodies were kept in morgue of Civil Hospital Quetta and handed over to Edhi workers the remains that could not be identified by anyone. During the afternoon hours the unidentified dead bodies were buried in Edhi Graveyard in Dasth near Quetta.

Prior to this, an organization, the Voice Baloch Missing Persons – VBMP through its statements and letters approached the media and state authorities regarding DNA tests of the recovered bodies in Balochistan and conservation of corpses in hospitals for weeks. In this way, the relatives of missing persons could come to know about them and contact or come to hospital for recognition, and then they were buried with human dignity. But all efforts of the said organization went in vain and no initiative has been taken.

It is soul tearing that in a state the citizens are killed mercilessly and their identification is distorted, after this, they are buried by volunteers as unknown. The family members who are waiting for their beloved ones endure pain for life time and worst affected in all aspect of life. These type of inhuman acts are destroying the future of a generation but no human rights organization and world civilized community take action to halt this despicable acts in Balochistan.

Since Pakistan is a member state of the United Nations, they are obligated to uphold the universal declaration of human rights. It clearly states that articles 9 & 10 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.” and that “Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him. Additionally, Pakistan is obligated to abide by the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.  To uphold these international laws, the UN also has its own police forces which is obligated to support Member States in conflict, post-conflict and other crisis situations to realize effective, efficient, representative, responsive and accountable police services that serve and protect the population. Furthermore, the UN police are mandated to act as a substitute or partial substitute for, Host-State police capacity to prevent and detect crime, protect life and property and maintain public order and safety in adherence to the rule of law and international human rights law.

As a result of Pakistan’s blatant disregard for the international laws of the UN, and the UN’s own failure to uphold these laws; the innocent civilians of Balochistan are subjected to an endless campaign of enforced abductions, torture, extra-judicial executions and dumping of unidentified bodies which are openly buried in mass graves.

https://www.bbc.com/urdu/pakistan-47550108