At least one person died, and numerous others, including women and children, sustained injuries in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district due to shelling by Pakistani forces. The incident occurred in the Drakhalaw-Gaslaiti area of Wadh in Khuzdar, leading local residents to hold a sit-in protest on a highway with the deceased individual identified as Abdul Qadir. Protesters accused Pakistani forces of initiating the shelling on Thursday morning, targeting a civilian area in Wadh locality.
Following the incident, demonstrators demanded an unbiased investigation into the matter and called for holding those responsible accountable. They vowed to continue the sit-in until a transparent inquiry is conducted. Naseem Baloch, chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), condemned the shelling, emphasizing the urgent need for independent and impartial investigations into ongoing conflicts in the region. He urged international bodies like the United Nations, independent media, and human rights organizations to have unrestricted access to Balochistan for transparency and accountability.
Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ), a human rights organization, expressed serious concerns over extended curfews, internet shutdowns, and movement restrictions imposed by Pakistani authorities in various Balochistan regions. The BVJ highlighted the adverse effects of such measures on the daily lives of citizens, including disruptions in accessing essential items, healthcare services, education, and livelihoods. The organization also raised alarm over indiscriminate firing by Pakistan’s Frontier Corps and other security forces on passenger buses in Khand Kotcha, resulting in the loss of innocent lives.
The BVJ called for impartial investigations into such incidents, stressing the state’s responsibility to protect citizens’ lives and property. It emphasized the importance of transparent probes to identify and hold accountable those responsible for any violations of human rights and laws.
