LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is alarmed to learn that a driver was killed allegedly by security forces in Chagai near the Pakistan-Afghan border while attempting to speed away.

Extrajudicial killings are unacceptable regardless of the circumstances and the perpetrators must be identified and held accountable, the commission says in a press release.

“Additionally, scores of drivers transporting goods across the border were reportedly deprived of their vehicles by security forces and left to fend for themselves in the desert. Many of them have still not been accounted for. The incident reflects a coldblooded disdain for basic humanity and the right to life.

“In a province that has been sorely neglected for decades, the callousness displayed by security forces towards residents continues unchecked. We strongly urge the provincial government to investigate this incident and ensure it does not recur,” it said.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2022