Balochistan: Pakistan’s military operation in Bolan leads to severe hardships for civilians

Balochistan [Pakistan], March 2 (ANI): The Pakistani security forces, continuing with their alleged atrocities against Baloch people, have been carrying out a military operation in Bolan for the last nine days, leading to severe hardships for the local people, the Balochistan Post reported.

Prominent Baloch leader, Maharang Baloch also voiced against the situation in Bolan and said that people are suffering from critical shortages of food and medicine and urged human rights organisations to address the problem.

Taking to social media platform X, she stated, “In Bolan and the surrounding areas, a military operation over the last nine days has caused immense suffering among the local population. The entire community, especially women and children, are enduring severe hardships. Local media reports highlight critical shortages of food and medicine due to ongoing military operations.”

“It’s an urgent appeal to human rights organisations, especially those focusing on women’s and children’s rights, to address the challenges faced by the native population in these regions,” Baloch added.

Earlier, Operation Dara-e-Bolan, a violent protest by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a pro-independence armed group from Balochistan, had received major condemnation from the other Baloch leaders who supported peaceful ways of protest.

However, the security forces are advancing into civilian areas, aided by gunship helicopters and surveillance drones, the Balochistan Post reported.

The report stated, citing local sources, “The military operation has expanded from Bolan to the adjacent regions of Sibbi, Harnai, and Mach, and their surroundings. The security forces have reportedly set up makeshift camps and blocked the transport routes in and out of Bolan.”

It added that the Pakistani army is damaging civilian property, detaining shepherds, confiscating their cattle and setting fire to the sporadic forests that the herds graze on.

During this operation by the Pakistani army, reports of torching civilian houses were also received. Local sources revealed that on Tuesday, the forces set fire to the residence of a local named Ali Ahmad in Sanjawal, Thalang area, the same report claimed.

The National Democratic Party (NDP), a Pashtun nationalist party, also condemned the military operation in Bolan.

The group said that the security forces have laid siege to Bolan and its neighbouring regions, which has restricted the people’s access to food and medications. The group also stated that several individuals have disappeared, people have been forced to stay in their homes, homes have been arsoned, and cattle have been stolen, all by the Pakistani security forces, the Balochistan Post reported.

The group has also demanded that international human rights organisations and the international media take the situation of Bolan into notice and report on the human rights abuses executed by Pakistan’s Army.