Mullah Omer Irani is a mysterious figure. Nobody knows his whereabouts yet he is one of the most feared people in Balochistan’s Makran division. He has emerged as one of the fiercest enemies of Baloch separatists in this part of the province, in the same way that Shafiq Mengal is in central Balochistan’s Khuzdar district. Irani’s incarnation as a pro-Pakistan fighter, however, has been rather circuitous.

In 2006, he was alleged to have been involved in the killing of two officials of the Anti Narcotics Force. Sources say the officials were killed when they tried to thwart a smuggling bid by Irani’s men in Kech district. Though Irani was tried for the murder, he was never arrested and presented in court. In 2010, a trial court in Turbat awarded him death penalty in absentia. Now he is often seen in the company of the Frontier Corps (FC), a paramilitary outfit responsible for maintaining law and order in the area.

Like Shafiq Mengal, says the leader of a Baloch nationalist party in Turbat on the condition of anonymity, Irani has been enjoying the protection and patronage of security forces for the last couple of years. The security forces, allege local residents in Turbat, are using him to attack and kill Baloch separatist militants and their perceived allies. “He is being used, in particular, against the followers of Zikri sect in Kech,” says the leader. Reports published in local newspapers confirm that there has been a surge of violence against the Zikris in recent months.

A large number of Zikris live in roughly six villages of Gorkok area in Pidark union council of Turbat subdivision of Kech district. Like all villagers in this part of the province, they used to visit Turbat city regularly for personal and business reasons. In the last six months, however, they have stopped doing so, read reports in local newspapers, because they fear they may be attacked while travelling to Turbat from their villages. Many families living in those villages have migrated to Karachi and Quetta. Those who have been left behind now go to Pasani, 40 kilometres to the west of their native area, for their shopping rather than to Turbat which is right next door to them.

“There is a perception among security forces that a number of Baloch separatist militants operating in the southern part of Balochistan are Zikris,” says the nationalist leader. Many local residents in Turbat blame Irani for the attacks on Zikris, including the one on August 29 this year at a Zikri ziarat (place of worship) in Tajrit area of Awaran district which killed six people. The reason why Irani is roaming free despite having received a death sentence is because he is useful for the FC and the intelligence agencies, alleges a local resident in Turbat.