Shutdown in Awaran after civilian killings; Baloch groups urge UN probe into Pakistan's actions

Awaran [Balochistan] May 29 : A citywide closure occurred throughout the Awaran district in Balochistan on Wednesday, with shops, businesses, and public areas remaining shut down in response to the killings of two civilians, including a woman, as reported by The Balochistan Post (TBP).

The Baloch Women Forum (BWF) initiated the strike following the deaths of Naeem Baloch, the son of Sanjar Baloch, and an elderly woman named Hoori Baloch, in the Malaar Machhi region of Awaran. Pakistani forces conducted raids on multiple residences on Tuesday, opening fire as residents attempted to resist the capture of a young man. An elderly woman, Dadi Baloch, sustained critical injuries during the incident, according to TBP.

The BWF condemned the deaths, labelling the event as an "extrajudicial execution." They noted that this marked the fifth such occurrence in Awaran within a week. In a statement, the BWF asserted that state institutions had been "given free rein to use force without legal justification." They characterised the circumstances as "extremely alarming," as per TBP's report.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) also released a statement, asserting that Naeem Baloch and his aunt, Hoori Bibi, were "shot and killed" by Pakistani forces. The BYC claimed that this wasn't the first instance of targeting the family. They reported that in 2015, an airstrike resulted in the death of Naeem's other aunt, Gohar Baloch, alongside seven family members. Additionally, Naeem himself was "forcibly disappeared" in 2023. His mother, critically injured in the recent attack, has also been detained before, as cited by TBP.

The BYC stated that "dozens of individuals in Awaran and the adjoining Mashkay region have lost their lives in recent extrajudicial operations." They criticised the national media for its silence on the matter and called upon the international community to take notice, according to TBP.

Both the BYC and the BWF urged the United Nations and global human rights organisations to perform "independent and transparent investigations" into these events. They cautioned that the killings were "not isolated incidents" but rather part of a greater strategy aimed at "erasing Baloch identity, resistance, and existence," as reported by TBP.

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