QUETTA: The central spokesperson for Baloch Women Forum (BWF) has strongly condemned what it described as the targeting of a family in the Malaar area of Awaran by security personnel, terming the incident “pathetic” and calling for strict accountability of those involved.
The forum stated that law enforcement agencies must respect fundamental human rights and refrain from violations against the Baloch population. It further emphasized that personnel involved in the Awaran incident must be held strictly accountable.
According to the statement, Balochistan has remained a center of human rights abuses for the past two decades, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, indiscriminate firing on civilians and violations of political, social, economic and cultural rights without accountability. The forum expressed concern over the direct involvement of law enforcement agencies in such actions, noting that those responsible are rarely held accountable, allowing such practices to continue in Balochistan.
Referring to a recent incident, the BWF stated that on the night of April 1–2, security personnel opened indiscriminate fire on a family in the Cheeri Malaar area of Awaran, resulting in the killing of three individuals, including a husband, his wife and their daughter and injuring three others.
The deceased were identified as Mohammad Umar, his wife Faiza Baloch and their daughter Mahzaib. Another woman from the same family, identified as Fehmeeda, was among the injured.
The forum noted that such incidents have become routine, where Baloch civilians are treated as second-class citizens, while those accused of violating their rights are not questioned. It further stated that despite the presence of eyewitnesses, such cases often remain unaddressed, and the judiciary is also seen as silent on these matters, despite their visibility to the government, judiciary, and the public.
The Baloch Women Forum reiterated that it condemns any act that violates the law, regardless of the actors involved, especially when innocent civilians are affected. It stated that, based on its observations and records, law enforcement agencies themselves are currently among the direct violators of indigenous peoples’ rights.
The forum demanded that the Cheeri Malaar incident in Awaran be investigated impartially and that those responsible for the alleged crime be given exemplary punishment.
