Spokesperson of the Baloch National Movement stated that a strict curfew has been imposed in the Mashkai area of Awaran for the past two weeks.
He said that markets, shops, hospitals, and educational institutions remain closed. People in both small and large villages are confined to their homes under a military siege and are unable to go out for their daily agricultural work, including fields and orchards.
The spokesperson added that in Gajjar and other small bazaars, the military occasionally allows limited opening for only one hour a day under its supervision. During this short window, only nearby residents are able to purchase essential food supplies, while people from distant villages remain deprived and face severe difficulties in accessing basic necessities.
He further said that even during the recent Eid, people were not allowed to leave their homes for essential shopping or Eid-related purchases. Due to strict restrictions, most families were unable to perform animal sacrifice during Eid al-Adha. The Pakistani military summons residents of small towns and villages to military camps in the morning and keeps them detained until evening, where they are subjected to mental and physical torture.
The spokesperson stated that last year alone, more than twenty people in Mashkai were killed by the Pakistani military after being called to camps or taken into custody and subjected to torture. This year as well, several individuals have been arrested and killed after detention. He further said that the brutality of the Pakistani state has reached a level where, after arresting and killing individuals, their bodies are desecrated, and in some cases, burned in an attempt to destroy evidence and spread fear.
The Baloch National Movement warns international human rights organizations that if they fail to take notice of the undeclared curfew in Mashkai and other areas of Balochistan, the ongoing humanitarian crisis will further worsen.
The BNM also appeals to Baloch political and human rights activists to raise their voices on social media using the hashtag #MashkaiUnderSiege in order to highlight the situation and bring global attention to the crisis.
