Judge gunned down in Quetta

QUETTA: Unidentified armed men shot dead Environmental Tribunal Judge Sakhi Sultan in his office in Shahbaz Town here on Friday morning.

Police officials said that two unknown armed men entered the office of the Environmental Protection Tribunal at around 10:45am and targeted the judge, Sakhi Sultan, with automatic weapons. Sultan sustained serious injuries while the attackers fled.

Sakhi Sultan, who had also been an activist of PPP, was rushed to the Civil Hospital but succumbed to his injuries before any treatment could be provided to him.The cause behind the cold blooded murder is yet to be ascertained. However, police believe that it was a target killing.

Soon after the incident, police officials rushed to the spot and started a probe. Seniors lawyers, office bearers of the Balochistan High Court Bar Association and the deceased judge’s family gathered at the hospital. Moving scenes were witnessed in the hospital.

Sakhi Sultan had also worked as a senior lawyer at the Supreme Court and High Court. Presently, he was discharging his duties as a judge of the Environmental Tribunal. In the past, he had been associated with the PPP and served as member of the central committee of PPP.

The office-bearers of the Balochistan Bar Association have strongly condemned the killing of Sakhi Sultan and announced three days of mourning against the cold-blooded murder of the judge.

Our correspondent adds from Islamabad: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Friday strongly condemned the killing of Sakhi Sultan in Quetta and demanded of the government to take urgent measures for nabbing the culprits.

Soon after his gruesome killing, SCBA President Kamran Murtaza strongly condemned the assassination of Sakhi Sultan and demanded of the government to take speedy measures for arresting the culprits.

“We are going to give a call for strike across the country and will ask the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) as well as bar councils in the provinces to boycott the court proceedings,” Kamran Murtaza told reporters at his office in the Supreme Court.

He recalled that he had already demanded of the government to ensure ample security to the judges and lawyers across the country keeping in view the prevailing law and order situation. However, he said, both the federal and provincial governments failed to take into account his request.

Meanwhile, it was reported that soon after the killing of Sakhi Sultan, the Pakistan Bar Council, Balochistan High Court and Balochistan Bar Association announced mourning and boycott of court proceedings for two days.

President of Balochistan Bar Association Bilal Anwar Kasi and President of Balochistan High Court Bar Mir Zahoor Shahwani strongly condemned the killing of Sakhi Sultan and said the lawyers would boycott court proceedings on Monday and Tuesday.

Minority MPA shot dead by bodyguard in Quetta

 

QUETTA: Minority MPA Handery Masieh, who belonged to the ruling National Party (NP) in Balochistan, was shot dead by his bodyguard here in the Nawan Killi area on Saturday.
Official sources said MPA Handery Masieh along with his nephew Owais Masieh was heading towards his vehicle that was parked near his home in Nawan Killi, when they were attacked. The attacker sprayed bullets from his automatic weapon injuring the MPA and his nephew. Later, the MPA succumbed to his injuries on his way to hospital.

Reports suggested that the incident happened at around 1:15pm. The attacker fled the scene after the incident.

Official sources said the MPA was hit by two bullets, one each in the head and neck.

Police and FC officials rushed to the spot and started the probe into the matter.

Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch expressed deep grief over the cold-blooded murder of his party’s senior activist. He said he had directed top police officials to apprehend the murderer.

The body of the MPA was later shifted to Civil Hospital for autopsy.

Moving scenes were witnessed in Civil Hospital where people belonging to the Christian community strongly protested the killing of their leader. They blocked Jinnah Road for several hours and chanted slogans against the cold-blooded murder of the MPA. They demanded of the government to apprehend those involved in the killing.

The murder created tension in the provincial capital and the law enforcement agencies were deployed in the Nawan Killi area to prevent any violent reaction to the assassination. The law enforcement agencies also set up checkposts to apprehend the culprit.

Agencies add: Handery Masieh belonged to Balochistan’s Mastung district and was an active leader of the ruling NP.

“The same guard was serving with Handery Masieh for the past 15 years,” Rehmat Baloch, provincial health minister, said.

Abdul Razzaq Cheema, the city’s police chief, said: “The bodyguard had some personal dispute with Handery Masieh’s nephew and both had a brawl outside the residence of the lawmaker. “The bodyguard opened fire on the nephew as Handery came out of his home to stop him. He was hit in the neck and died on the way to hospital.”

Cheema added that the bodyguard was “loyal” and bore Handery no personal enmity.

President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former president Asif Ali Zardari, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi and MQM chief Altaf Hussain strongly condemned the assassination of Handery Masieh.

In their separate messages, they expressed sympathies with the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul.

Balochistan MPA Handery Masieh killed in Quetta

QUETTA: Balochistan MPA, Handery Masieh has been killed in an attack on his life here on Saturday.

Masieh’s family said he was attacked by his personal guard. Speaking to media, Masieh’s brother said he was gunned down by his guard outside their residence.

Hospital sources said the MPA was shot in the head and neck. A spokesman for the Balochistan government confirmed that Masieh had been killed by his guard.

Police said Handery Masieh and his nephew were attacked outside his residence. Police have cordoned off the area and started a search operation for the attacker.

The MPA was rushed to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed the Balochistan government to take immediate action against Handery Masieh’s attackers. He added that the protection of minorities was the responsibility of the federal and provincial governments.

Masieh who was affiliated with the National Party was elected from NM-65 on a reserved seat for minorities.

This is a developing story and further details are awaited.

Gunmen kill one young man in Quetta

QUETTA: Some unknown armed men opened fire killing one person at Satellite Town on Sunday here, Geo News reported.
Police said that the unidentified gunmen shot dead one young man at Bhoosa Mandi in Satellite police station limit and fled away.

Rescue volunteers shifted the body to Civil Hospital. The motive behind the firing could not immediately be known, however, police investigation into the incident continues.

One child killed, 18 inured in Quetta

QUETTA: One child was killed and 18 including other children and a woman were injured in a blast near the New Sariab police station in the city.

The bomb planted in a rickshaw exploded when a security forces vehicle was passing through the area. The blast left nearby shops and a hotel damaged.

According to initial police investigations two kilograms of explosives were used.

The injured were shifted to the Quetta Civil Hospital.

Balochistan Home Minister, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti visited the hospital and announced that the injured would be shifted to Karachi for treatment if the need arose.