UTHAL: A tragic incident unfolded in Balochistan’s Uthal area, where a young girl lost her life after being denied timely medical assistance during an overnight security check by Pakistani forces.
Eyewitnesses reported that the inspection began late at night and continued until morning, leaving dozens of passengers stranded for hours on the roadside.
According to passengers, the incident occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday night, when several buses traveling from Balochistan to Karachi were stopped at the Uthal checkpoint.
“Our bus reached Uthal around 3 a.m., but all buses were halted,” one passenger said. “The checking was extremely slow. Near dawn, we learned that a child in one of the buses had fallen seriously ill. Her parents pleaded for help, but no one was allowed to move forward.”
Witnesses stated that despite repeated appeals from passengers to let the bus carrying the sick child proceed to the nearest hospital, the forces refused. “We begged them to let the bus go because the girl had fainted,” a traveler recounted. “But we were told that no vehicle could move until the checking was complete. After some time, the child stopped breathing.”
Passengers described the ordeal as both heartbreaking and avoidable. “If the forces had allowed the bus to move or provided immediate medical help, that child could have been saved,” said another witness.
Travelers added that long delays at the Uthal checkpoint are routine. “This is not the first time,” one passenger said. “Buses are often held for hours. If security checks are necessary, there should be alternative measures to ensure that human lives are not put at risk.”
Across Balochistan, multiple checkpoints operated by Pakistani forces have long been a source of frustration for local residents. Citizens and human rights organizations have repeatedly raised concerns over the hardship and suffering caused by such prolonged security procedures, particularly when they obstruct access to urgent medical care.
The death of the young girl has once again ignited debate over the human cost of Balochistan’s militarized checkpoints and the lack of accountability surrounding them.
