Occupied Balochistan: Four female teachers of a private school were attacked with acid by unknown culprits in Killi Alam area of Saryab here on Saturday.
According to local police officer Malik Arshad, the female teachers were sitting in a van outside their school in Killi Alam on Saryab Road when two men on motorbikes hurled acid and fled from the scene. Three teachers, in early 20s, received burn injuries on their face, hands and legs while clothes of another teacher were burnt. The victims were identified as Robina Mushwani, 21, Fazila Bangulzai, 23, Sajida Bibi, 24 and 21-year-old Surriya Langhov. Sajida Bibi was discharged after being provided first aid.
“We were sitting inside the van outside of our school when two persons on motorbike appeared and the hurled acid. The attackers were wearing masks and disappeared from the scene,” one of the injured Fazila told the doctors at Bolan Medical College Hospital.
The victims were admitted at Plastic Surgery and Burns Wounds Department at BMC that was crowded with their relatives. One of the eye witnesses claimed that the culprits had hurled a bottle containing deadly acid on the four female teachers. Dr Allah Bakhsh told the Express Tribune that the victim Rubina received 8 per cent burn injuries in her face and hands, Surriya 3.4 per cent while Fazila sustained 2 per cent wounds. “All the patients are stable and admitted to the ward. We have discharged Sajida Bibi whose merely clothes were burnt,” said Dr Allah Bakhsh.
Police have taken the driver into custody for interrogation. They have also mounted a manhunt in the area and detained several people for questioning.
According to relatives, they had not received any threat. “The van was parked outside the skillful Grammar School as usually and ready to drop the teachers to their respective areas,” said Saleem, relative of one of the victims.
It was the third incident in Balochistan during the past 15 months as earlier three women were attacked with acid in Kalat while two sisters sustained burn injuries in Dalbandin. Later, ISI / MI created new dummy organizations claimed the responsibility and warned the female not to move out in Bazaars, do not work outside and don’t participate in any protest rally or seminars.
It is generally presumed that religious fanatics supported by the state’s intelligence agencies are involved in the acid attacks because they want to spread panic among the Baloch female teachers and Baloch women who are playing a vital role in Balochistan’s independence movement.
Baloch resistance Organiations and leaders of Baloch Nationalist political parties and student Organisatons had strongly condemned the attack on Baloch sisters in Daalbandin and Kalat. They had termed such attacks a dirty game of the state agencies against the secular Baloch society.
According to local police officer Malik Arshad, the female teachers were sitting in a van outside their school in Killi Alam on Saryab Road when two men on motorbikes hurled acid and fled from the scene. Three teachers, in early 20s, received burn injuries on their face, hands and legs while clothes of another teacher were burnt. The victims were identified as Robina Mushwani, 21, Fazila Bangulzai, 23, Sajida Bibi, 24 and 21-year-old Surriya Langhov. Sajida Bibi was discharged after being provided first aid.
“We were sitting inside the van outside of our school when two persons on motorbike appeared and the hurled acid. The attackers were wearing masks and disappeared from the scene,” one of the injured Fazila told the doctors at Bolan Medical College Hospital.
The victims were admitted at Plastic Surgery and Burns Wounds Department at BMC that was crowded with their relatives. One of the eye witnesses claimed that the culprits had hurled a bottle containing deadly acid on the four female teachers. Dr Allah Bakhsh told the Express Tribune that the victim Rubina received 8 per cent burn injuries in her face and hands, Surriya 3.4 per cent while Fazila sustained 2 per cent wounds. “All the patients are stable and admitted to the ward. We have discharged Sajida Bibi whose merely clothes were burnt,” said Dr Allah Bakhsh.
Police have taken the driver into custody for interrogation. They have also mounted a manhunt in the area and detained several people for questioning.
According to relatives, they had not received any threat. “The van was parked outside the skillful Grammar School as usually and ready to drop the teachers to their respective areas,” said Saleem, relative of one of the victims.
It was the third incident in Balochistan during the past 15 months as earlier three women were attacked with acid in Kalat while two sisters sustained burn injuries in Dalbandin. Later, ISI / MI created new dummy organizations claimed the responsibility and warned the female not to move out in Bazaars, do not work outside and don’t participate in any protest rally or seminars.
It is generally presumed that religious fanatics supported by the state’s intelligence agencies are involved in the acid attacks because they want to spread panic among the Baloch female teachers and Baloch women who are playing a vital role in Balochistan’s independence movement.
Baloch resistance Organiations and leaders of Baloch Nationalist political parties and student Organisatons had strongly condemned the attack on Baloch sisters in Daalbandin and Kalat. They had termed such attacks a dirty game of the state agencies against the secular Baloch society.
This is all so very sad... I found your blog because a friend of mine sells tribal jewelry from Central Asia and I was listing a couple of Baluchi pieces and wanted to find out a bit more about the culture. I consider myself well educated and pay attention to what goes on in the region, but had heard nothing about all these awful things Baluchi have been facing. It just goes to show how little the media in the US talks about anything that doesn't have to do with their immediate interests. It's very sad...
ReplyDeleteAnd, there is just so much intolerance towards indigenous and nomadic peoples all over the world, not just in Central Asia. I know that this is not only about the nomadic Baluchis, but I especially feel for those pastoral groups who have lost their grazing rights and routes because of the wars and violence in the region.
So, here is one white, Christian, American woman sending up a prayer of peace for your people!