Protests continued for a second consecutive day in Nokundi following the killing of a young Zamyad truck driver, Shadar Mengal, allegedly by personnel of the Frontier Corps (FC). The main road at Bab-e-Umar remains blocked, and a complete shutter-down strike is being observed in Nokundi as well as in nearby areas including Chaghi, Dalbandin, Chahter and Yakmach.
The family of the deceased, along with supporters, is demanding justice and legal action, criticizing the local administration for failing to initiate any proceedings so far. Protesters claim that young men in Balochistan often head to the border in search of livelihood, only to be targeted and killed by security forces.
According to the family, the border is the sole source of income for many communities in Chagai and other districts. Incidents like this, or closures of border routes, have a direct and devastating impact on local employment.
The family has also strongly rejected circulating claims on social media that portray the incident as a tribal dispute. They assert that Shadar Mengal was shot in public by FC personnel, describing the incident not as a tribal conflict but as a continuation of state violence.
Protesters have accused the FC of being part of what they describe as a systematic campaign of Baloch genocide. They allege that state institutions are not only shielding those involved in such incidents but are also consistently avoiding accountability.
In conclusion, the family and protest leaders have called upon the people of Nokundi and across Balochistan to raise their voices against what they termed state oppression and to join the protest movement in solidarity.
