Quetta, Aug 12 (IANS) Several Baloch activists and human rights groups on Wednesday strongly condemned the Pakistani airstrikes in Balochistan’s Surab district that reportedly killed over 30 civilians, including women and children and injured several others.
Citing local reports, human rights defender Mir Yar Baloch said that the Pakistani Air Force carried out “indiscriminate bombing” of civilian areas in the Gidar area of Surab, killing civilians and causing significant damage to civilian properties.
“According to these reports, hospitals in the affected area have been surrounded by military personnel, while doctors and medical staff are being intimidated and prevented from providing timely medical care. Reports further indicate that some casualties occurred because injured civilians were unable to reach hospitals in time. Residents have also reported seeing drones and Cobra gunship helicopters continuing to patrol the skies over the area,” Mir posted on X.
Condemning the attack, Sabiha Baloch, the central leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), said that the incident showed how Pakistan marks its formation and existence through the killing of innocent Baloch civilians, including children, which she described as “ genocide”.
Taking to her social media platform X, Sabiha said, “The affected area is surrounded by Pakistani forces, restricting access for rescue teams, medical staff, ambulances, and journalists. Blocking humanitarian assistance and independent documentation compounds the grave human rights violations and demands immediate international attention.”
“I urge journalists, medical teams, humanitarian organisations, and people around the world to demand immediate access to the affected area, ensure medical assistance reaches survivors,” she added.
Meanwhile, human rights body Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) called for an immediate, independent, transparent and internationally monitored investigation into the incident.
“The identities and details of those killed and injured must be made public, and those responsible must be held accountable. Protecting civilians — particularly women and children — is a fundamental responsibility of the state, and all military operations must comply with international humanitarian law and the principles governing the protection of civilian life,” the BVJ stated.
The rights body further urged the United Nations, UN human rights mechanisms, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and other members of the international community to end their silence over the “violence and war crimes” against civilians in Balochistan by Pakistani forces.
“Families affected by violence in Balochistan have a fundamental right to justice, protection, and the truth about what happened to their loved ones. The continued silence of the international community risks allowing such incidents to occur without accountability,” it noted.
–IANS
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