Manan Mandokhail:
QUETTA: Customs personnel allegedly opened fire and killed a young man in the city’s Imdad Chowk area on Monday morning. The charge was vehemently denied by the customs officials. However, friends and family members accused the customs officials of opening an unprovoked fire and killing the young man on the spot.
“Customs officials opened fire and killed my relative Qasam Agha on the spot”, a young relative of the victim standing on the spot of the incident told reporters. However, the customs spokesman said smugglers opened fire on customs officials in the morning when they (customs) tried to stop a truck loaded with smuggled goods.
The dead body of the young man was shifted to the civil hospital Quetta. A large number of people reached the hospital. “We want justice and action must be taken against the responsible customs officials”, Syed Abdullah, another relative of the victim demanded.
Customs unaware about the killing
The customs officials however rejected the family’s version and said that the smuggler sitting in a private car opened fire on them. “We are not aware of the killing of any person”, the Spokesman Customs said. He said they had only seen this news on social media.
Balochistan Caretaker Information Minister, Jan Achakzai said the Chief Minister Ali Mardan Domki has already taken notice of the incident. He said the incident would be investigated by the provincial government.
Police officials also reached the spot and started an investigation into the incident. No first information report was registered against the responsible personnel till the filing of this report.
Negotiations held between the victim’s relatives and customs officials
However, a well-placed customs official told Daily Quetta Voice that the victim’s family members and customs reached a reconciliation. He said the collector of customs Balochistan and other senior officers held negotiations with the family members of the victim and reached a reconciliation. He preferred not to share the details about the reconciliation.
In cases where state officials, such as customs officers, resort to unlawful actions like killing innocent drivers for the sake of bribery, it represents a grave violation of both human rights and the rule of law. Such incidents not only result in tragic loss of life but also deepen public mistrust in government institutions.
These actions, driven by corruption and abuse of power, highlight the urgent need for accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct within state agencies. Such egregious misconduct often triggers public outrage and can lead to protests, demonstrations, and a call for justice, underscoring the critical importance of upholding the principles of justice and accountability within society and its governing institutions.