The Pak Army recently detained Sajid Smalani from the Mach Bolan area of Pak-occupied Balochistan and now he is missing. Sajid’s brother Nisar Ahmed, son of Muhammad Ishaq was also made to disappear by the Pak Army nine years ago in June 2015.
Such incidents are frequent and are reported daily. Ever since the Pak Army forcibly seized control of Balochistan i.e., on March 27, 1948, the Baloch community have been resisting the atrocities and Baloch genocide perpetrated by the Pak Army.
Recently, in a report, the Baloch National Movement’s (BNM) Department of Social Welfare highlighted the failing state of Health in four tehsils in the Awaran district: Jahoo, Awaran, Mashkay, and Jahoo.
“Even a minor illness can become a life-threatening situation due to inadequate health facilities.” When patients need to be transferred to Karachi or other cities due to emergencies, the uneven roads present a significant risk that they will die while travelling.
Balochistan has been forcibly occupied by Pakistan since March 1948, the Pak Army is using all of its apparatus to commit mass murder and other crimes against the members of Baloch society. The Pak establishment bears sole responsibility for the rising death rate in Pak-occupied Balochistan, due to the lack of necessities.
BNM asked the UN and other international bodies to acknowledge Pakistan’s pervasive violations of human rights in Balochistan and urging immediate intervention to prevent any further crisis.
In a deeply concerning turn of events, Asad Ali Toor, an independent journalist well-known for his candid and critical political reporting, has been arrested by Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The arrest is linked to alleged involvement in an “explicit and malicious” campaign against Supreme Court judges, raising serious questions about the state of press freedom in the country.
Toor, the creator of YouTube channel “Asad Toor Uncensored” with over 160,000 subscribers, was taken into custody after being ordered to appear for questioning. The manner in which the arrest unfolded has intensified worries about the treatment of journalists critical of the authorities.
In a controversial move, the FIA denied Toor’s legal representation, refusing entry to his lawyers during the questioning. Reports suggest that the FIA took extreme measures, locking the entrance door and plunging the building into darkness before officially informing the legal team of the arrest.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has highlighted the distressing details of the arrest, including a handwritten note from Toor, provided by an FIA guard to Toor’s lawyer, urgently requesting the safety of his elderly mother. This adds a human dimension to the situation, emphasizing the potential personal toll on journalists and their families.
Toor’s legal team, led by lawyer Mazari-Hazir, are yet to receive a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) initiating the investigation. This lack of transparency raises concerns about the legitimacy of the charges against the journalist.
In a bold move, Toor filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court, challenging the legality of the FIA notices and seeking protection from harassment or unlawful detention. The response from the Chief Justice, stating that Toor should participate in the inquiry without harassment, provides some relief but does little to address the broader concerns.
During the initial questioning on February 23, Asad Ali Toor reported the presence of six unidentified individuals in plainclothes, adding an element of intimidation to the situation. Furthermore, the absence of a list of allegations during the first round of questioning and threats of home raids and device confiscation only deepen the apprehensions surrounding the case.
This arrest follows a pattern of government actions against journalists critical of the establishment. In January, the FIA cybercrime wing summoned several journalists, including Toor, over alleged campaigns against Supreme Court judges, following a controversial decision related to symbols used by political parties.
Asad Ali Toor’s critical reporting on Pakistan’s chief justice and military establishment has made him a target in the past. A violent incident in May 2021, where he was attacked in his apartment, raised concerns about the safety of journalists in the country.
Recently, the residents of the Naka Khari area of the Hub district of Pak-occupied Balochistan have stated that the Pakistan Coast Guard has blocked the Gwadar route by digging trenches and has resorted to violence against the residents.
The establishment hasn’t provided them with a proper road and they have constructed their paths which are now being forcefully closed by the Pak coast guards.
Reportedly, more than eight protestors were injured due to the baton charging by the Coast Guard during their peaceful protest. The Naka Khari council blocked the main highway in front of the Naka Khari checkpoint in protest against the closure of local routes and violence against the residents by the coast guards.
Incidents like these highlight the plight of the innocent Baloch community who repeatedly face atrocities by the Pak Army since the forcible occupation of Balochistan.
With the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage, the water flowing from the Ravi River into Pakistan has effectively ceased. This development, which is situated on the border between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, represents a major change in the distribution of water resources, with the Jammu and Kashmir area now expected to benefit from the 1150 cusecs of water that were previously destined for Pakistan.
The redirected water will be used for irrigation, benefiting more than 32,000 hectares of land in the districts of Samba and Kathua. Despite facing challenges over the past thirty years, the Shahpur Kandi barrage project which is crucial for irrigation and hydropower is almost on the brink of completion. As per the terms of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, Pakistan is in charge of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while India has exclusive rights over the waters of the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers. With the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage, India is now able to make the most use of the waters of the Ravi River by diverting resources from the old Lakhanpur dam in the direction of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
In 1995, the Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project foundation stone was laid by PV Narasimha Rao. However, the project was put on hold for more than four and a half years due to disagreements between the governments of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. While addressing a rally in the Haryana assembly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to make sure that Indian farmers could effectively use the waters of the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers. He underlined that India has a legitimate claim to these waters and that Pakistan must stop wasting them. To ensure that every drop of water from these rivers reaches Punjab Jammu and Kashmir, a task force was subsequently formed.
India has built storage facilities like the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, the Pong and Pandoh Dam on the Beas, and the Thein (Ranjitsagar) on the Ravi as part of several water management projects. With the help of these programs and others like the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project and the Beas-Sutlej link, India is now able to use nearly all (95%) of the water from the eastern rivers. However, below Madhopur, about 2 million acre-feet of the Ravi River’s water flowed to Pakistan without being used. India is well-positioned to utilize these water resources, promoting agricultural and economic growth in Jammu Kashmir and Punjab, with the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage.
Under the World Bank’s supervision, the Indus Water Treaty was signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan to govern the use and distribution of the Indus River system. The Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers are all under Pakistani control, but India retains complete sovereignty over the waters of the eastern rivers, the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas. Through the provisions of the treaty, India can further improve its water management capabilities by establishing storage facilities on the western rivers.
Pak-occupied Balochistan’s Bolan district is gripped by violence and turmoil as the Pakistan Army persists in a military operation for the third consecutive day. The area is witnessing gunship helicopters hovering overhead, disrupting the civilian settlements, while Army personnel advance toward the mountainous regions.
Reportedly, explosions and shelling in the mountainous areas can be heard echoing, and two innocent herders also arrested, sons of a man named Aliyan, during the ongoing operation. The names of the arrested individuals remain unverified, leaving their families tensed and anxious in uncertainty.
The operation, which began three days ago, has witnessed a significant escalation, with forces advancing in various areas of Bolan, including Jambro, Chakki Wadh, Mian Kor, Lakkar, and others. These events are not new in the resource-rich, Pak-occupied region. However, they paint a grim picture of the Baloch community living under the atrocities of the brutal Pak Army. With homes set ablaze, thousands of animals burnt to death, and reports of forced disappearances of innocent civilians, men, women, and children, Pak-occupied Balochistan is facing all sorts of brutality known to humans.
In the suburbs of Dhadar, the heart of Bolan, the Pakistan Army has surrounded the houses of herdsmen and their relatives. Houses have been set on fire, and a military siege has been imposed on the homes of the wealthy and their relatives, with women and children held in custody.
While the Army has remained silent on the operation, the local community fears the impending repercussions. With images emerging from Bolan and gripping fear among the residents, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the region. As the valleys of Bolan resonate with the echoes of conflict, the world watches in silence.
In a tragic turn of events, an epidemic of losses struck the Naal Yousaf Dhil Canal area in Khuzdar district, causing the premature death of two children and leaving several others affected.
Haji Ahmed Nawaz Baloch, the chairman of the reputed tehsil Naal, informed the media that he has urged the health department to control the outbreak of losses in Naal. He expressed his concern that if timely action is not taken by the health department to control the unfortunate disease, the epidemic in no time will spread throughout the entire region and will be beyond the control of the health department.
He has demanded authorities address this crisis and take immediate action to send teams of doctors to control the outbreak to prevent any further loss of life.
Recently, the goods transport owners of Pak-occupied Balochistan have collectively expressed their outcry against the rampant extortion and harassment at checkpoints along the Lak Pass highway of the Mastung district of Pak-occupied Balochistan.
Haji Noor Muhammad, the central president of Balochistan Goods Transport Owners Association along with many other transporters have jointly stated that Mastung Khadakacha Daring at Lak Pass highway and other check posts has been made a hotbed of robbery by the police, levies and Pak Army.
The truck drivers are being harassed, under the pretext of diesel and tax, and the large vehicles are stopped for hours and extorted. They highlighted the coercive demands for exorbitant bribes ranging from 300,000 to 1.2 million rupees per vehicle.
Protests against the coast guards are ongoing at the location of Darin Isna Othal by the coach owners. The transporters have expressed their anger with the attitude of the administration and are appealing to the relevant authorities to reform the situation and take decisive measures to end their ordeal as soon as possible, otherwise, transporters will be forced to protest vehemently, especially against the Mastung administration.
The Pak Army has time and again damaged Balochistan either directly or with proxies. These incidents show how the innocent Baloch community is living in this nightmare where the future is unsafe.
Residents of Kalat, including women and children, have voiced their grievances in a protest against the severe shortages of gas and electricity during the harsh winter conditions in the region. Facing continuous disruptions in essential utilities and grappling with high bills despite the lack of services, protesters took to blocking the Quetta-Karachi highway, causing significant traffic disruptions.
Expressing their plight, the protesters highlighted, “Kalat, being the coldest region in Balochistan, is undergoing unbearable difficulties due to the frequent suspension of gas, exorbitant bills, and prolonged, unannounced electricity load shedding.”
The Pakistan Army has been exploiting Pak-occupied-Balochistan for decades, exploiting its resources and people. The Baloch community is experiencing brutality, genocide, enforced disappearances, and a kill-and-dump policy.
In response to the protest, local authorities, including Additional Deputy Commissioner Siraj Baloch, SHO Kalat Habib-ur-Rehman Babai, and Additional SHO Kalat Levies Abdul Karim Mengal, engaged in negotiations with the demonstrators.
The talks resulted in a peaceful dispersal of the protesters, and the highway was reopened to traffic. However, the protesters warned that if the issues with gas and electricity supply are not permanently resolved, further protests will follow.
In a passionate display of distress and determination, a family has taken to the streets outside the Assistant Commissioner’s office in Naal, Khuzdar, Pak-occupied Balochistan demanding justice for their daughter, Samreena, who has been forcibly married to Younus Hassan, a former Education Officer and SST teacher from Girisha.
The family says that Hassan, exploiting his role as an educator, kidnapped 14-year-old Samreena from the Girisha area, under the pretense of offering her educational opportunities. Instead, he forced her into marriage without her consent. Despite their relentless efforts, an official First Information Report (FIR) is yet to be filed by the police, even though an application for it has been submitted by the distressed family.
The incident initially gained public attention after a press conference at the Khuzdar Press Club, but shockingly, coverage of the event mysteriously disappeared from the club’s social media platforms. Reportedly, Younus Hassan has significant local influence as he is backed by some individual who has affiliation with the Army. Therefore, he suppressed the press conference coverage.
Bassaran, Samreena’s mother, revealed the heartbreaking circumstances in a video statement, emphasizing her daughter’s tender age and the deceptive tactics used by Hassan. “My daughter, only fourteen, was promised education but was instead forcibly married”, she disclosed, expressing the betrayal she felt from initially trusting Younus due to his familial ties.
Recent updates reveal that Samreena Baloch is currently in the custody of a tribal chief in Khuzdar, while Younus Hassan is reportedly being held by the police at an undisclosed location. Expressing dissatisfaction, Bassaran criticized the decision to place her daughter in the chieftain’s custody and has now turned to the public, appealing for support in securing Samreena’s safe return.
In Pakistan, these incidents are painfully too common. They show that the Baloch community has been living a nightmare, facing not only enforced disappearances and indiscriminate shootings but also a kill-and-dump policy. Unfortunately, their women and children are not safe either. As life in this resource-rich region descends from bad to worse, the world watches in silence.
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