KHUZDAR: Images and reports are beginning to emerge from the war-struck town of Zehri in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district, after several days of a Pakistani military siege and strict curfew.
The visuals reportedly show scenes of destruction and civilian suffering following drone and helicopter attacks that have left at least five people dead, including children, and several others injured.
According to local sources, on October 5, aerial bombardment targeted the Moola Pass area of Bel Chari in Zehri, killing five members of local families and injuring three others. The dead have been identified as Manzoor Ahmed, son of Abdul Hakeem, his two children, a nephew, and Bibi Rahima with her child. Among the injured are Rahima’s daughter and son, both reported to be in critical condition.
Residents say Pakistani forces have been carrying out ground and air operations in Zehri for days, targeting villages and civilian homes. Witnesses describe a tense atmosphere, with constant aerial surveillance, sporadic shelling, and families confined indoors amid fears of further attacks.
A few days earlier, in Noorgama, another area of Zehri, a young man was shot dead by security forces. Eyewitnesses said he was targeted moments after stepping outside his home. He was being transported to Khuzdar for treatment, but died en route.
The October 5 incident came just days after a drone strike on October 1 near Tarasani, which killed three civilians, including two women, and injured five others, among them a four-year-old child. The deceased were identified as Bibi Amna (40), wife of Sanaullah; Lal Bibi (41), wife of Ali Akbar; and Muhammad Hasan (30), son of Muhammad Yaqoob.
Over the past months, reports of aerial bombardments and drone strikes in Zehri’s mountainous belt have become more frequent. Local residents allege that entire families have been wiped out, while security forces continue to block media and humanitarian access to the area.
The curfew remains in place, and communications have been completely cut off, making it impossible to verify independent details of the casualties or the extent of the destruction.
Human rights groups and Baloch activists have expressed alarm over the escalating military operations, accusing the state of targeting civilians under the pretext of counterinsurgency.
“The blackout and restrictions on journalists show a clear intent to hide the scale of civilian suffering,” said one rights activist based in exile, who requested anonymity for safety reasons.
So far, no official statement has been issued by the Pakistani military or local administration regarding the strikes or civilian casualties.
It is pertinent to mention that the Zehri region, part of Khuzdar district, lies in central Balochistan, a province that has witnessed decades of conflict between the Pakistani state and Baloch nationalist groups. The area has long been a flashpoint for military operations, enforced disappearances, and reports of civilian displacement. Despite repeated calls from rights organizations for access and accountability, independent media coverage in Balochistan remains severely restricted.
