Pakistani Airstrikes in Balochistan Kill Six Civilians, Injure Three: Rights Groups

Quetta – At least six Baloch civilians, including four children, were killed and three others critically injured in an aerial strike by the Pakistani Army in Zehri, Balochistan, a leading human rights organisation reported on Tuesday.

The region has been experiencing a severe human rights crisis amid ongoing military operations. According to Paank, the Human Rights Department of the Baloch National Movement, the October 5 airstrike targeted the Moola Pass area of Charhi in Zehri, claiming six lives.

Those killed have been identified as Manzoor Ahmed, his two children, his nephew, and Bibi Rahima along with her child. The injured include Rahima’s daughter and son, both in critical condition.

Paank condemned the attack as a brutal assault on civilians and called for an immediate independent investigation to hold those responsible accountable for these alleged human rights violations.

Echoing the concern, Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) said, “This incident constitutes a grave violation of fundamental human rights and has spread fear and anguish throughout the local population. The deliberate use of force against unarmed civilians is unacceptable under any circumstances.”

The organisations have appealed to international human rights bodies, including the UN Human Rights Council, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, to conduct transparent and impartial investigations into what they describe as “ongoing state brutality” in Zehri.

Earlier, Tara Chand, President of the Baloch American Congress, described the Pakistani Army’s operations in Zehri as “cruel,” stating that ordinary citizens, not armed combatants, were being targeted. He accused Pakistani forces of demolishing homes, bombing residential areas, and depriving families of basic necessities such as water, food, medicine, and education.

Taking to X, Chand urged the global community to acknowledge the situation in Zehri, appealing for support for the people of Balochistan against what he called “grave atrocities” by the Pakistani Army.

With inputs from IANS