Police raid minister’s house after three bodies found in Barkhan

The deceased woman’s husband also accuses Abdul Rehman Khetran of owning a "private jail" and keeping five in captivity

By News Desk
February 22, 2023
People stage a sit-in outside the Chief Ministers House in Quetta, against the murder of a woman and her two children in Barkhan, on February 21, 2023. — Twitter/@Alijanmaqsood12
People stage a sit-in outside the Chief Minister's House in Quetta, against the murder of a woman and her two children in Barkhan, on February 21, 2023. — Twitter/@Alijanmaqsood12

QUETTA: Police raid the house of Balochistan Minister for Construction and Communications Abdul Rehman Khetran after three people’s bullet-riddled bodies were found in a well in Barkhan district, Geo News reported.

The bodies of a woman and two men were brought by their tribe members to the Abdul Sattar Edhi Chowk in Quetta, following their funeral prayers in Kohlu Tuesday morning. Khan Muhammad Marri, a resident of Kohlu, claimed that the victims were his wife and two sons. An audio message from Marri began circulating on social media. “I am the heir of the bodies found in Barkhan. They are my sons and wife,” he claimed. He alleged: “Five slaves are still in the possession of Sardar Abdul Rehman.” Following the accusations, the bodies were brought to Edhi Chowk from where they were taken to Fayyaz Sumbal Chowk near the Red Zone.

At the Fayyaz Sumbal Chowk, a protest was staged against the murders and protesters demanded justice for the family. According to Geo News, Khetran has denied any involvement in the killing by claiming to be a “peaceful and law-abiding person”. “Accusations of owning a private prison and the murder of three people is a conspiracy to damage my political reputation,” he said, adding that his house was searched by the previous government. “Had there been a jail, it would have been discovered,” he insisted, “However if anyone is still in doubt, they can check my house.”

He said that the allegations were a “sinister attempt” to deprive him of the “right of regional politics”.

A press release issued said that a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had been constituted under the chairmanship of the Loralai Range DIG to investigate the murders.

The SSP Investigation, Special Branch Barkhan representative and Barkhan DC have also been included in the JIT, which was given 30 days to submit a report to the government, a notification said.

As news of the gruesome murders spread, several members of the Balochistan Assembly in Quetta condemned the incident.