One night, Mulla Nazrullah, the prayers’ leader in a mosque in Chah Aab district of Takhar, was on his way home in the evening when several armed men took him to away.
"The injustice of Commander Bashir (Qanet) and his men is no longer acceptable in this district, and the revenge of Nazrullah must be taken”, Maulvi Mahfouzallah, the cleric of the Dar Al-Olum mosque in the same district, said at the funeral ceremony of Nazrullah a day later of his abduction and subsequent killing.
In this while, one of the commanders of Bashir Qanet named Ghulam Hussein, had warned Nazarullah that he must not come to the mosque of the city again. But, when Nazrullah did not pay attention to these warnings, and arrived at the mosque for Friday to lead the prayers, individuals affiliated with Bashir surround the mosque and enter the courtyard. People at the mosque gathered around their prayer leader to resist the attacking men of Bashir, and as shooting took place, 3 civilians got killed and 29 more got wounded.
The Takhar Appeal Court has issued four arrest warrants for Bashir Qanat, the local Hizb-i Islami commander in Chah Aab district of the province.
In the warrant no. "1008/1361", the prosecutor's office has stated, "Bashir Qanat, one of the Jihadi commanders in the Chah Aab district, and Ghulam Hossein son of Shir Ali, Mullah son of Sheikh Al-Islam, residents of Chah Aab district and other persons involved in murder, injuring, insult to sacred places, and aggression against public servants, should be arrested immediately.
In another warrant no. "1064/1093", it is stated Bashir Qanet and five others are wanted in the case of murder of three men.
Bitter memory
In the text of the arrest warrant issued against Bashir Qanet, it is noted the HI commander and his men intercepted and killed Mehboobullah, Taj Mohammad and Fazluddin without any reason in the Chah Aab district while they were on their way to their fields. Shamsuddin can’t forget that tragic incident. He said until justice is not done, it would be impossible to forget about it. This warrant has noted that a number of similar arrest warrants have been issued against the said individuals.
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Salam Watandar has interviewed a number of people who claimed Qanet and his men killed their relatives. Victims' families say government officials in the province are not pursuing their cases. Many of these families are in uncertainty, and do not know if the government can finally stop the killing of innocent people.
Murder and bodies that were not buried
Abdul Ghani, a resident of the Nor Abaya village in Chahab district, said his brother and cousin, were killed on the directives of Bashir Qanet. He added that all their assets were robbed by Bashir and his men, and he did not even allow them to bury the victims. He said he cannot go home in fear of his own life now.
The doctor who was shot down on the way
Mosaddequllah, a resident of Chah Aab district of Takhar province, said his father was a doctor and when he was heading to his job, Bashir Qanet killed him. He claimed that the authorities of the judicial institutions are not handling his father's case, and Bashir is freely roaming around.
Pahlavan Muhammad, another resident of the Chah Aab district of Takhar province, said his brother, Mawlawi Nazirullah, was killed by men associated with Bashir Qanet when he was heading to home after evening prayers. Nazirullah has left six children behind. Pahlavan said that he had no hostility towards Bashir, and that before he was killed, Bashir Qanet had informed him that "we will kill your brother." Pahavan said he will take revenge for his brother's murder at any cost.
Rashid Bashir, the police commander of the province, told SW that the powerful local commander was in the capital, Kabul, and the prosecutor's office has not filed a detention order for Qanet.
According to Rashid Bashir, after tension flared-up, a delegation came to Takhar from the presidential office, and transferred Bashir Qatat and several of his men to Kabul.
But, Bashir Qanet, in response to the questions and the charges, says that no decree has been handed over to him, and these issues are ‘not related to the Salam Watandar’.
Also, Prosecutor General's Office spokesman, Jamshid Rasuli, has said the allegations levelled against Qanet and his men are still under investigations.
Bashir Qanet is one of the old commanders of HI party led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. He was governor of Sar-e-Pul province during the reign of former president, Hamid Karzai. His name was removed from the list of the Wolesi Jirga (lower house) elections following allegations of having an illegal armed militia in Takhar.
ENDS
