Drone strikes, military lockdown devastate Balochistan's Khuzdar district; civilians among dead

Balochistan [Pakistan] October 15 (ANI): The Khuzdar district in Balochistan, specifically Tehsil Zehri, has been under military lockdown for several days, with a curfew still enforced. Recent reports suggest that a drone strike conducted by Pakistani forces resulted in the deaths of six individuals, including women and children, while three others sustained injuries, as reported by The Balochistan Post (TBP).

On October 5, shelling and bombardments allegedly orchestrated by Pakistan Army drones and helicopters took place in the Moola Pass area of Bel Chari, leading to at least five immediate fatalities and numerous injuries, according to TBP's account.

In a video statement, a family member expressed, "We have no ties to any armed group, yet we have been targeted and murdered." He called for justice while standing in a cemetery where the six victims of the bombardment were being laid to rest, according to TBP's report.

The day prior, a young man was reportedly shot dead by Pakistani forces in Norgama, Zehri. Eyewitnesses indicated that the youth was targeted as he exited his home. He succumbed to his injuries while being transported to Khuzdar, as highlighted in TBP's report.

Earlier, on October 1, an alleged drone strike by the Pakistan army near Trassani, Zehri, resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including two women, and left five others injured, among whom was a four-year-old child. Communication lines remain disrupted, complicating efforts to verify the extent of the operation or the total number of casualties, TBP reported.

Balochistan is a well-known area rich in natural resources, yet the people of Balochistan have consistently faced a lack of basic services. There are no hospitals available in Balochistan, and even where they do exist, medical facilities and equipment are grossly inadequate. The situation is similarly dire in education, transportation, water supply, agriculture, and nearly every aspect of life.

It's important to note that enforced disappearances and abductions by the Pakistani military have frequently occurred and continue to happen regularly in Balochistan. Leaders, activists, and outspoken members of various student organisations have been apprehended by security forces and held in confinement, while others have been killed.

This ongoing crime against humanity has persisted for so long and in such an organised manner in Balochistan that it has become normalised within the province. Numerous social and human rights advocates have brought attention to the abuses perpetrated by the Pakistani establishment before the United Nations and other international bodies. (ANI)

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