Balochistan protests after reported Pakistani airstrike kills civilians:Bodies placed on highway; families demand justice

Protests broke out in Surab on Tuesday after reports that a Pakistani military airstrike in the Gidar Goandhan area killed more than 20 people and injured at least 16 others, according to The Balochistan Post (TBP). The reported attack took place on Tuesday and allegedly caused civilian casualties, including women and children. Local residents and police took the injured and bodies of those killed to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Surab, where the injured were being treated. Some residents said the actual death toll could be higher than the initial figures. At the time of TBP’s report, the Pakistani military and security authorities had not officially confirmed the attack or the reported casualties. Victims’ bodies placed on highway as protests begin Following the reported attack, relatives of the victims and local residents placed the bodies on the N-25 Quetta-Karachi highway at Surab’s main square and began a sit-in protest. The protest brought traffic on the highway to a standstill, with long lines of vehicles forming on both sides of the road. Protesters said they would continue the sit-in until their demands were met. The reported airstrike also drew condemnation from political and civil society organisations. Baloch group demands accountability The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) condemned the reported airstrike and expressed concern over the deaths of civilians, including women and children. It called for those responsible to be held accountable. The organisation described the reported bombing of a populated area as an act of state violence. It also called for a shutdown in protest against the airstrike and the reported civilian deaths. According to TBP, the group appealed to traders, political activists, civil society representatives and residents across Balochistan to join the shutdown. BNP-M leader questions reported targeting of children Sardar Akhtar Mengal, leader of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), also questioned the reported targeting of civilians and children in comments shared on social media. Referring to photographs of the victims, he questioned whether the children could be called militants and asked whether peace could be achieved by killing children. Lawyer and political commentator Sajid Tareen Advocate also reacted to the reports on X. He described claims that 27 people, including women and children, had been killed in the airstrike as tragic and expressed solidarity with the affected families, according to TBP.