Quetta, July 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) At least one civilian was killed and several others injured after Pakistani military forces allegedly carried out indiscriminate gunfire and heavy mortar shelling in the Jhao region of Balochistan’s Awaran district, a leading human rights organisation said on Thursday.
Condemning the brutal actions of the Pakistani military, Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, said that the incident had created a climate of terror and put countless civilian lives at risk.
Citing reports, the rights body said that this “unjustified and reckless” use of force in Jhao has resulted in numerous civilian injuries and the tragic death of a resident, identified as Zahid.
It further alleged that military personnel confiscated and took away Zahid's body, denying his family their fundamental right to mourn and perform his last rites.
“Targeting civilian areas with heavy weaponry is a blatant violation of international human rights and humanitarian law. Furthermore, the arbitrary confiscation of a victim's body is an abhorrent practice that echoes a deeply troubling, systematic pattern of extrajudicial abuses and enforced disappearances in Balochistan,” Paank stated.
Highlighting the atrocities against civilians in Balochistan, the rights body further revealed that another civilian, Asif, was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces from Eman city in the provincial capital Quetta, on July 13, with his whereabouts remaining unknown.
“According to his family, no official information has been provided regarding his fate or location, leaving them in severe distress and uncertainty. If the reported detention has occurred, the authorities must immediately disclose Asif's whereabouts, ensure he has access to his family and legal counsel, and either promptly charge him with a recognisable criminal offence and bring him before an independent court, or release him without delay,” Paank noted.
The rights body called on the Pakistani authorities to uphold the country's obligations under international human rights law. It urged human rights organisations, journalists, civil society, and the international community to closely monitor this case of enforced disappearance, while seeking truth, accountability, and the protection of fundamental rights in Balochistan.
Balochistan continues to reel under relentless atrocities by the Pakistani forces, marked by enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of Baloch civilians at an unprecedented level.
Source: IANS
Gopi Adusumilli is a Programmer. He is the editor of SocialNews.XYZ and President of AGK Fire Inc.
He enjoys designing websites, developing mobile applications and publishing news articles on current events from various authenticated news sources.
When it comes to writing he likes to write about current world politics and Indian Movies. His future plans include developing SocialNews.XYZ into a News website that has no bias or judgment towards any.
He can be reached at gopi@socialnews.xyz
This website uses cookies.
