In May this year, five foreigners including two women were killed in Kharotabad, Balochistan. Police surgeon Dr Syed Baqir Shah conducted the autopsy of the victims and found multiple bullet wounds to be the cause of their deaths. He said that there was no sign of splinters on the bodies of the victims, thus contradicting the Frontier Corps (FC) and police version, according to which the victims died from the explosion of the hand-grenades that they were carrying. Dr Shah had been receiving life threats from unknown ‘quarters’ and a group of armed men had also attempted to kidnap him from a roadside restaurant, which he resisted. Despite these threats, he was still not provided with adequate security and in the end he met the fate of many daring and brave tellers of truth in this country — assassination. He was shot dead by masked gunmen on his way back from the hospital. As with any criminal case, suspicion will first and foremost fall on those with a motive — in this case, the FC and police, against whom the findings of the doctor’s post-mortem report were aimed. Everyone including the government and the military must be cognizant of the implications of the killings of countless innocent unarmed citizens by the security forces. This impunity is stoking separatism in the largest and poorest province. The brutal killing of Dr Shah shows that the security forces — particularly the FC — have been emboldened by the fact that they have not been held to account for all the tortured, mutilated, bullet-riddled bodies of missing persons turning up almost every day. Both provincial and federal governments have so far been helpless in stopping this slow genocide in Balochistan. It is heartening to know that people are finally starting to become aware of the plight of the Baloch people. The media is also now increasingly reporting and commenting on Balochistan. The increased number of voices speaking out against the brutal policies of the security forces is stemming from a collective concern that the course adopted by the military and FC will ultimately result in a repeat of the tragic chapter of 1971 in our history. It is hoped that better sense prevails and this culture of impunity and repression is put an end to before we lose a vital part of our country — with great geopolitical significance and potential riches — to the brutality of the very forces responsible for the territorial integrity and security of the people of Pakistan. *