Pakistan's drone strike on civilians in Quetta triggers fury, internet blackout across Balochistan

Balochistan [Pakistan], November 1 (ANI): At least nine people were critically injured in a drone strike on Wednesday in the Chiltan Mountain range near Pakistan's Quetta.

While the Pakistani army claimed it was targeting "terrorists", witnesses stated that the victims were unarmed civilians who had gathered for a picnic at a national park, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

According to The Balochistan Post, the drone reportedly struck the Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park, a scenic picnic destination on Quetta's outskirts. Eyewitnesses said dozens of families were present when the explosions occurred, causing chaos and panic.

"There were many civilians there enjoying their holiday when the drone hit," one resident stated, adding that people fled as multiple blasts shook the area. Residents pointed out that a Frontier Corps checkpoint was located near the site, questioning how the operation could have taken place in such a densely populated civilian area.

Doctors at a Quetta hospital confirmed that nine men had been admitted with severe shrapnel wounds. In a statement, Pakistan's military media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), described the strike as part of an "intelligence-based operation" and claimed that fourteen "terrorists were sent to hell."

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti hailed the operation as a "major counter-terrorism success".

However, residents and rights groups strongly contradicted that narrative. Activists in Quetta described the strike as a possible "misfire" that targeted innocent civilians rather than militants. They demanded an independent probe into the incident and accountability from the authorities, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post.

Following widespread outrage on social media, where images of the injured spread rapidly, the provincial administration ordered a suspension of mobile internet services across Quetta. Human rights defenders stated that Pakistan's recurring internet shutdowns in Balochistan amounted to "collective punishment".

They reflected the state's disregard for civil liberties and information rights, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI)

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