Pakistan army begin probe into Kashmir 'torture' death
By Zulfiqar Ali
The army in Pakistani-administered Kashmir says it is
investigating the alleged torture of a local youth that led to his death last week.
Ali Murtaza's family say he died while held by the army's
secret service near a border checkpoint in Kotli sector.
The killing has generated anger and calls for a "fair inquiry" both from the media
and civil society.
The incident comes in the wake of recent tension between India and Pakistan along the Kashmir border.
Five soldiers
have been killed in tit-for-tat attacks in recent weeks.
'Witnesses'
Members of Mr Murtaza's family told BBC that he went missing on 17
February when he left his home to visit relatives in a village close to the Line of Control (LoC), the de-facto border across the divided Kashmir
region.
According to them, his body was delivered to the family three days later by the local administration of Kotli district.
"He
died in the custody of the army, and he was tortured," Chaudhry Mehboob, a member of the legislative council of Pakistani-administered Kashmir and a
relative of Mr Murtaza, told the BBC.
He said there were witnesses who saw him being taken away by intelligence officials near a border post in
Khui Ratta, close to where a Pakistani soldier was killed by Indian forces after reportedly "straying" onto the Indian side.
Mr Mehboob said
that local residents told the intelligence personnel that Mr Murtaza was a local man who had mostly lived in Lahore city. Officials reportedly
responded by saying they would release him after putting some questions to him.
The family have shared pictures with the BBC that show bruises
and red patches all over the dead body, indicating torture.
The death has caused widespread reaction in the Kashmiri media, where fingers have
been pointed at military intelligence officials.
Several political groups have meanwhile staged protests over the killing and have called for a
transparent inquiry.
A top military official in the region told BBC an inquiry had been ordered into the killing.
Earlier, the head of
the Kotli district administration, Masoodur Rahman, issued a statement in which he assured the protesters that the family would be kept informed of
the proceedings of the inquiry.
-BBC-
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