QUETTA: The Baloch National Movement (BNM) has strongly condemned the Pakistani military attacks on populated areas inside Afghanistan, in which civilians, including children, were killed during overnight strikes between 21 and 22 February.
In a statement issued by the party’s spokesperson, the BNM said that Pakistani forces targeted residential areas, resulting in the deaths of entire families. The group expressed solidarity with the affected families and declared its support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and its right to self-defense.
The spokesperson described the strikes as a direct assault on Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and freedom, accusing Pakistan of deliberately targeting unarmed civilians. He further claimed that the reality of the situation contradicts Pakistan’s official position, asserting that, as in previous incidents, innocent civilians were intentionally targeted.
The statement went on to criticize Pakistan’s broader regional policies, saying that the country has been a source of instability in the region since its creation. According to the BNM, the state’s policies are driven by expansionist ambitions, both overt and covert.
The spokesperson also reiterated the group’s longstanding position regarding Balochistan, saying that Pakistan annexed the territory shortly after independence and has since suppressed its nations under a dominant Punjabi establishment.
He further claimed that various nations within Pakistan are currently engaged in struggles for national survival, adding that the country faces political and social fragmentation that has contributed to ongoing internal crises.
Concluding the statement, the BNM accused Pakistan of attempting to deflect responsibility for its internal challenges by escalating tensions with neighboring countries. The spokesperson warned that Pakistan’s military posture poses a broader regional threat and called for unity and the formation of a joint front among regional nations to address growing instability.
