At least one civilian died and multiple others were wounded when Pakistani military forces reportedly conducted indiscriminate gunfire and heavy mortar shelling in Balochistan’s Awaran district’s Jhao region. The Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Department, Paank, criticized the Pakistani military’s actions, stating that the incident instilled fear and endangered many civilian lives. Reports indicated that the use of force in Jhao led to numerous civilian injuries and the tragic death of a resident named Zahid.
The rights organization accused the military of seizing Zahid’s body, depriving his family of the right to mourn and perform his final rites. Paank condemned the military’s targeting of civilian areas with heavy weaponry, labeling it a violation of international human rights and humanitarian law. The group also highlighted the arbitrary confiscation of victims’ bodies as part of a troubling pattern of extrajudicial abuses and enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
Paank disclosed another incident where a civilian named Asif was reportedly taken by Pakistani forces from Eman city in Quetta on July 13, with his whereabouts unknown. Asif’s family expressed distress over the lack of official information about his fate or location, urging authorities to reveal his status promptly. The rights body called for transparency, access to legal counsel, and either charging Asif with a recognizable offense or releasing him without delay.
Balochistan continues to face severe human rights violations, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings by Pakistani forces. Paank urged Pakistani authorities to adhere to international human rights laws and called on various groups to monitor cases of enforced disappearances, advocating for truth, accountability, and the protection of fundamental rights in Balochistan.
