Pakistan on Saturday lodged a strong protest with Iran for not taking action against the group behind the killing of 14 passengers who were forcibly offloaded them from their bus on the Makran Coastal Highway in Ormara, Balochistan.

Pakistan sends protest letter to Iran, demands action against 14 killings

In a shocking incident, 14 bus passengers were offloaded and shot dead by terrorists on the Makran coastal highway in Ormara, in Gwadar district of Balochistan in Pakistan on Thursday. 
&nbsp; 
The incident happened between 1am-1:30am. The terrorists stopped five-six buses travelling between Karachi and Gwadar, checked the identity cards of the passengers, separated the lot of labourers and then killed them. Most of those killed belonged to Punjab.

Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langove said the dead passengers had their legs and hands tied.

"Terrorists offloaded 14 persons from different buses after checking their NICs. They took them and killed them," Langove said.

Langove did not specify how the passengers were selected to be kidnapped and killed or their identities.

The gunmen had set up an a picket at Bazi Top near Ormara. 
&nbsp; 
Three of the captured passengers, however, managed to escape and are being treated at a hospital in Ormara. 
&nbsp; 
The police have launched a search operation to trace the terrorists, however, no terrorist organisation has formally claimed responsibility for the incident yet.

Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack and asked for an urgent report.

"PM has directed the authorities to make every possible effort to identify and to bring the perpetrators of the barbaric act to justice," Khan`s office said in a statement.

A similar incident took place in Balochistan's Mastung area in 2015 when armed men kidnapped about two dozen passengers from two Karachi-bound coaches and killed 19 of them.

Balochistan province has long been plagued by violence and a stubborn insurgency, a major source of concern for Pakistani officials who fear it will disrupt plans for a transport corridor through the province as part of China's Belt and Road initiative.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a shocking incident, 14 bus passengers were offloaded and shot dead by terrorists on the Makran coastal highway in Ormara, in Gwadar district of Balochistan in Pakistan on Thursday.

In a shocking incident, 14 bus passengers were offloaded and shot dead by terrorists on the Makran coastal highway in Ormara, in Gwadar district of Balochistan in Pakistan on Thursday. The incident happened between 1am-1:30am. The terrorists stopped five-six buses travelling between Karachi and Gwadar, checked the identity cards of the passengers, separated the lot of labourers and then killed them. Most of those killed belonged to Punjab. Balochistan Home Minister Ziaullah Langove said the dead passengers had their legs and hands tied. "Terrorists offloaded 14 persons from different buses after checking their NICs. They took them and killed them," Langove said. Langove did not specify how the passengers were selected to be kidnapped and killed or their identities. The gunmen had set up an a picket at Bazi Top near Ormara. Three of the captured passengers, however, managed to escape and are being treated at a hospital in Ormara. The police have launched a search operation to trace the terrorists, however, no terrorist organisation has formally claimed responsibility for the incident yet. Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack and asked for an urgent report. "PM has directed the authorities to make every possible effort to identify and to bring the perpetrators of the barbaric act to justice," Khan`s office said in a statement. A similar incident took place in Balochistan's Mastung area in 2015 when armed men kidnapped about two dozen passengers from two Karachi-bound coaches and killed 19 of them. Balochistan province has long been plagued by violence and a stubborn insurgency, a major source of concern for Pakistani officials who fear it will disrupt plans for a transport corridor through the province as part of China's Belt and Road initiative. (With inputs from agencies)

14 bus passengers offloaded, shot dead by terrorists in Balochistan

A Baluch insurgent group on Thursday claimed responsibility for killing 14 people in southwest Pakistan, it said in a statement emailed to reporters and newspaper offices. Watch video to know more.

Balochistan attack: 15-20 assailants involved in attack

A Baluch insurgent group on Thursday claimed responsibility for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/14-bus-passengers-offloaded-shot-dead-by-terrorists-in-balochistan-211389">killing 14 people in southwest Pakistan</a>, it said in a statement emailed to reporters and newspaper offices.

Fighters of Baloch Raji Aajoi Saangar carried out the killings, said the body, which described itself as an umbrella group of three Baluch separatist movements in the region, but denied that ordinary passengers had been targeted.

According to reports, the group set up in December last year targets Pakistani and Chinese military interests in restive Balochistan region where Chinese governments has hosted several projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

"Those who were targeted carried cards of the Pakistan Navy and Coast Guards, and they were only killed after they were identified," the group's spokesman, Baluch Khan, said in the statement.

Around 14 bus passengers were offloaded and shot dead by terrorists on the Makran coastal highway in Ormara, in Gwadar district of Balochistan in Pakistan.

The incident happened between 1:00 am-1:30 am. The terrorists stopped five-six buses travelling between Karachi and Gwadar, checked the identity cards of the passengers, separated a lot of labourers and then killed them.&nbsp;

Most of those killed belonged to Punjab.

A Baluch insurgent group on Thursday claimed responsibility for killing 14 people in southwest Pakistan, it said in a statement emailed to reporters and newspaper offices.

A Baluch insurgent group on Thursday claimed responsibility for killing 14 people in southwest Pakistan, it said in a statement emailed to reporters and newspaper offices. Fighters of Baloch Raji Aajoi Saangar carried out the killings, said the body, which described itself as an umbrella group of three Baluch separatist movements in the region, but denied that ordinary passengers had been targeted. According to reports, the group set up in December last year targets Pakistani and Chinese military interests in restive Balochistan region where Chinese governments has hosted several projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). "Those who were targeted carried cards of the Pakistan Navy and Coast Guards, and they were only killed after they were identified," the group's spokesman, Baluch Khan, said in the statement. Around 14 bus passengers were offloaded and shot dead by terrorists on the Makran coastal highway in Ormara, in Gwadar district of Balochistan in Pakistan. The incident happened between 1:00 am-1:30 am. The terrorists stopped five-six buses travelling between Karachi and Gwadar, checked the identity cards of the passengers, separated a lot of labourers and then killed them. Most of those killed belonged to Punjab.

Local insurgent group claims responsibility for Balochistan bus attack

Massive thunderstorms and a dust<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-five-killed-36-injured-as-dust-storm-hits-karachi-210678&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi-9bLqstThAhU-6nMBHXmyB1UQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2GWogG2A-fp-CgYCE6OakV"> storm</a> lashed Pakistan's Punjab and Sindh provinces, killing at least 23 people, injuring scores of others, according to media reports on Tuesday.

Heavy rain and storm caused by a westerly wave uprooted electricity poles and trees in different parts of the country and also damaged properties on Monday.

Intermittent downpour in western, central and northern parts of the country for the past few days has rendered mud houses susceptible to the collapse, while the landslide and flash floods in some areas have already made several roads dangerous for travel, Dawn reported.

Thunderstorm in Punjab province resulted in the collapse of several buildings, leaving at least nine persons, including two women, dead.

Four deaths were reported in Khanewal district; three in Hasilpur area of Bahawalnagar district; and two Dunyapur tehsil of Lodhran district.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's Chitral valley, a woman and two men died when the roof of their house collapsed and fell on them.

In Balochistan province, authorities declared emergency on Monday after torrential rains and flash flooding wreaked havoc and killed at least nine persons, including a child.

Heavy rainfall in Quetta, Gwadar, Chagai, Harnai, Duki, Jewani, Jaffarabad, Kohlu, Sibi, Barkhan, Chaman and other districts of Balochistan caused flooding in nullahs and drains which severed land link in various parts of the province, the Express Tribune reported.

The low-lying areas had been submerged due to continuous rainfall in Kohlu and adjoining areas.

In separate incidents related to the dust storm that hit Karachi, four persons, including two young girls died, an equal number of fishermen went missing and dozens of others suffered injuries, according to officials and rescue services.

Gusty winds also uprooted several trees, poles and signboards, broke windowpanes of some high-rise buildings and damaged the walls of schools and homes in Karachi.

Massive thunderstorms and a dust storm lashed Pakistan's Punjab and Sindh provinces, killing at least 23 people, injuring scores of others, according to media reports on Tuesday.

Massive thunderstorms and a dust storm lashed Pakistan's Punjab and Sindh provinces, killing at least 23 people, injuring scores of others, according to media reports on Tuesday. Heavy rain and storm caused by a westerly wave uprooted electricity poles and trees in different parts of the country and also damaged properties on Monday. Intermittent downpour in western, central and northern parts of the country for the past few days has rendered mud houses susceptible to the collapse, while the landslide and flash floods in some areas have already made several roads dangerous for travel, Dawn reported. Thunderstorm in Punjab province resulted in the collapse of several buildings, leaving at least nine persons, including two women, dead. Four deaths were reported in Khanewal district; three in Hasilpur area of Bahawalnagar district; and two Dunyapur tehsil of Lodhran district. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's Chitral valley, a woman and two men died when the roof of their house collapsed and fell on them. In Balochistan province, authorities declared emergency on Monday after torrential rains and flash flooding wreaked havoc and killed at least nine persons, including a child. Heavy rainfall in Quetta, Gwadar, Chagai, Harnai, Duki, Jewani, Jaffarabad, Kohlu, Sibi, Barkhan, Chaman and other districts of Balochistan caused flooding in nullahs and drains which severed land link in various parts of the province, the Express Tribune reported. The low-lying areas had been submerged due to continuous rainfall in Kohlu and adjoining areas. In separate incidents related to the dust storm that hit Karachi, four persons, including two young girls died, an equal number of fishermen went missing and dozens of others suffered injuries, according to officials and rescue services. Gusty winds also uprooted several trees, poles and signboards, broke windowpanes of some high-rise buildings and damaged the walls of schools and homes in Karachi.

Thunderstorm and dust storm kill 23 in Pakistan's Sindh, Punjab

The US has advised its citizens to reconsider their travel to Pakistan due to <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-calls-on-pakistan-to-immediately-end-support-to-all-terrorist-groups-white-house-197523&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwislMOpktThAhUKVH0KHZROC-QQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2sk0PxTtDwaqCm3uklHkfh">terrorism </a>and asked them not to travel to restive Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), identified as the most dangerous areas due to terror attacks.

While Pakistan, in general, has been placed in "Level Three" category in the latest travel advisory issued by the US on Monday, several parts of the country, including Balochistan, KPK province, PoK and India-Pakistan border, have been placed in the most dangerous "Level Four" category, in which US citizens are asked not to travel due to high-risk areas.

"Due to risks to civil aviation operating within or near Pakistan, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) and/or a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR)'' the State Department said in the travel advisory.

Asserting that terror groups continue plotting possible attacks in Pakistan, the State Department said that terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, military installations, airports, universities, tourist locations, schools, hospitals, places of worship and government facilities.

"Terrorists have targeted US diplomats and diplomatic facilities in the past, and information suggests they continue to do so, it said.&nbsp;

Terrorist attacks continue to happen across Pakistan, with most occurring in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Large-scale terrorist attacks have resulted in hundreds of casualties, it said.

Do not travel to Balochistan province the State Department said, adding that active terrorist groups, an active separatist movement, sectarian conflicts and deadly terrorist attacks against civilians, government offices and security forces destabilise the province.&nbsp;

Similarly, in the PoK, it warned that militant groups are known to operate in the area and the threat of armed conflict between India and Pakistan remains. "Indian and Pakistani military forces periodically exchange gun and artillery fire across the Line of Control (LoC), it said.

Noting that India and Pakistan maintain a strong military presence on both sides of the border, the travel advisory said the only official Pakistan-India border crossing point for persons who are not citizens of India or Pakistan is in the province of Punjab between Wagah and Attari.&nbsp;

Do not travel to KPK province, which includes the former FATA, the advisory said.

Active terrorist and insurgent groups routinely conduct attacks against civilians, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government offices, and security forces.

These groups historically have not discriminated between government officials and civilians. Assassination and kidnapping attempts are common, including the targeting of polio eradication teams, it said.

The US has advised its citizens to reconsider their travel to Pakistan due to terrorism and asked them not to travel to restive Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), identified as the most dangerous areas due to terror attacks.

The US has advised its citizens to reconsider their travel to Pakistan due to terrorism and asked them not to travel to restive Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), identified as the most dangerous areas due to terror attacks. While Pakistan, in general, has been placed in "Level Three" category in the latest travel advisory issued by the US on Monday, several parts of the country, including Balochistan, KPK province, PoK and India-Pakistan border, have been placed in the most dangerous "Level Four" category, in which US citizens are asked not to travel due to high-risk areas. "Due to risks to civil aviation operating within or near Pakistan, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) and/or a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR)'' the State Department said in the travel advisory. Asserting that terror groups continue plotting possible attacks in Pakistan, the State Department said that terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, military installations, airports, universities, tourist locations, schools, hospitals, places of worship and government facilities. "Terrorists have targeted US diplomats and diplomatic facilities in the past, and information suggests they continue to do so, it said. Terrorist attacks continue to happen across Pakistan, with most occurring in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Large-scale terrorist attacks have resulted in hundreds of casualties, it said. Do not travel to Balochistan province the State Department said, adding that active terrorist groups, an active separatist movement, sectarian conflicts and deadly terrorist attacks against civilians, government offices and security forces destabilise the province. Similarly, in the PoK, it warned that militant groups are known to operate in the area and the threat of armed conflict between India and Pakistan remains. "Indian and Pakistani military forces periodically exchange gun and artillery fire across the Line of Control (LoC), it said. Noting that India and Pakistan maintain a strong military presence on both sides of the border, the travel advisory said the only official Pakistan-India border crossing point for persons who are not citizens of India or Pakistan is in the province of Punjab between Wagah and Attari. Do not travel to KPK province, which includes the former FATA, the advisory said. Active terrorist and insurgent groups routinely conduct attacks against civilians, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government offices, and security forces. These groups historically have not discriminated between government officials and civilians. Assassination and kidnapping attempts are common, including the targeting of polio eradication teams, it said.

US asks its citizens to reconsider travel plans to Pakistan due to terrorism

Quetta, a few days ago. In the Dasht Tera Mil area, volunteers of the Edhi Foundation buried twelve dead bodies without any identification. The bodies were decomposed beyond recognition and no DNA test had been done on them by the authorities.

According to the volunteers, it is not the first time that they are forced to bury unknown bodies recovered from the streets and the fields of Balochistan. Last time was in January when 10 unidentified bodies had been buried in the same area by the same volunteers.

It is not uncommon, unfortunately, to find mutilated dead bodies, in various stages of decomposition and beyond recognition, dotting the roads of Balochistan. It is part of the nefarious 'kill and dump' policy of Pakistani intelligence agencies, highlighted time and again by human rights organisations- both national and international.

Mass graves were found in Balochistan for the first time in 2014 in Turbat, and since then, every year the people of the region discovered similar graves in different areas- one of the latest was found in Dera Bugti. In each case the discovery follows the same pattern- the Army and intelligence agencies cordons-off the area, keeping people away. Nobody really knows how many bodies are buried there and who they were.

Independent investigations and even international humanitarian organisations' access to the areas in question are banned for 'security reasons'; in truth, this is more for the security of the state's institutions than that of its citizens. These citizens, with each passing day, find they not only lack basic rights but also their government, with overbearing arrogance, denies them information and freedom to dissent.

&nbsp;

Whoever touches Balochistan, even with a pen, dies. Or disappears for good. Military operations are carried out on a daily basis in Balochistan. State institutions and administrations have failed to provide protection and justice to the people, due to which a sense of insecurity has developed among them.

Families of missing persons, after getting disappointed in the state's legal system, are now appealing to international institutions to interfere. Operations and incidents of torture are not limited to some specific areas but these operations have expanded all over Balochistan, especially the rural areas.

Due to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the villages on its route were either forcefully emptied or, by everyday military operations, situations have been deliberately created so that people are compelled to leave their land and migrate. At this point, those who manage to leave are the lucky ones. The others just disappear, almost every day, and only 10 or 15 per cent of those cases are reported. Relatives are reluctant to speak up as they are threatened by the authorities; and if they talk they don't get to see their loved ones again.

The numbers, according to The Voice of Missing Baloch People (VMBP) and other human rights organisations, are staggering. Since 2017, around 18,000 people have disappeared from Balochistan; give or take a citizen or two. Thousands of completely illegal arrests have been carried out, without the families involved being informed of the charges, with no legal help guaranteed or anyone being told where the prisoners are held. Not one of them, up to now, has appeared before a court. The numbers have become so high that some of the state institutions are finding it hard to continue denying what is happening before everyone's eyes. Government sources claim that about a thousand persons have disappeared in the last six years.

According to the Federal Ministry of Human Rights, since 2011, nearly a thousand dead bodies have been found, mostly in the areas of Quetta, Khalat, Khuzdar, and Mekran. The VBMP maintains it can document at least 1200 cases where corpses have been found on the roadside and can be linked to persons abducted. Amnesty International recently asked Pakistan to "ensure that all measures are taken to immediately end the practice of enforced disappearance" but of course nobody is going to listen. Because the practice, so well experimented in Balochistan, has now become a standard way for the Pakistani government to deal with activists, journalists, free thinkers and any political opponent all over the country.

Defence of Human Rights, a non-governmental organization working for the recovery of disappeared people, laments that more than 5,000 cases of enforced disappearance have remained unresolved till date in Pakistan. Most of these cases have been reported from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan and Sindh provinces. And according to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance established in 2011 under international pressure hasn't made any significant progress. The ICJ says the practice of enforced disappearances in Pakistan is no longer restricted to conflict zones alone and has become a "tactic for suppressing dissenting voices wherever they are present," adding that "the practice has now become a national phenomenon".

According to the Amnesty Report, "the groups and individuals targeted in enforced disappearances in Pakistan include people from Sindhi, Baloch, Pashtun ethnicities, the Shia community, political activists, human rights defenders, members and supporters of religious and nationalist groups, suspected members of armed groups, and proscribed religious and political organisations in Pakistan. In some cases, persons are openly taken into custody by the police or intelligence agencies, and families trying to find out where their loved ones are held, are denied information by the authorities. Some victims are eventually released or their whereabouts are disclosed to their families but they continue to be held in arbitrary detention including in internment camps. Those forcibly disappeared are also at risk of torture and death during captivity".&nbsp;

The few people released are warned not to speak to the media or other organisations. Whoever asks for justice is targeted again. Soon enough, if the numbers of missing or killed and dumped people continue to grow, a part of the population will be formed by ghosts- An Army of White Walkers, who will and should haunt everybody 's sleep.

Quetta, a few days ago. In the Dasht Tera Mil area, volunteers of the Edhi Foundation buried twelve dead bodies without any identification. The bodies were decomposed beyond recognition and no DNA test had been done on them by the authorities.

Quetta, a few days ago. In the Dasht Tera Mil area, volunteers of the Edhi Foundation buried twelve dead bodies without any identification. The bodies were decomposed beyond recognition and no DNA test had been done on them by the authorities. According to the volunteers, it is not the first time that they are forced to bury unknown bodies recovered from the streets and the fields of Balochistan. Last time was in January when 10 unidentified bodies had been buried in the same area by the same volunteers. It is not uncommon, unfortunately, to find mutilated dead bodies, in various stages of decomposition and beyond recognition, dotting the roads of Balochistan. It is part of the nefarious 'kill and dump' policy of Pakistani intelligence agencies, highlighted time and again by human rights organisations- both national and international. Mass graves were found in Balochistan for the first time in 2014 in Turbat, and since then, every year the people of the region discovered similar graves in different areas- one of the latest was found in Dera Bugti. In each case the discovery follows the same pattern- the Army and intelligence agencies cordons-off the area, keeping people away. Nobody really knows how many bodies are buried there and who they were. Independent investigations and even international humanitarian organisations' access to the areas in question are banned for 'security reasons'; in truth, this is more for the security of the state's institutions than that of its citizens. These citizens, with each passing day, find they not only lack basic rights but also their government, with overbearing arrogance, denies them information and freedom to dissent. Whoever touches Balochistan, even with a pen, dies. Or disappears for good. Military operations are carried out on a daily basis in Balochistan. State institutions and administrations have failed to provide protection and justice to the people, due to which a sense of insecurity has developed among them. Families of missing persons, after getting disappointed in the state's legal system, are now appealing to international institutions to interfere. Operations and incidents of torture are not limited to some specific areas but these operations have expanded all over Balochistan, especially the rural areas. Due to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the villages on its route were either forcefully emptied or, by everyday military operations, situations have been deliberately created so that people are compelled to leave their land and migrate. At this point, those who manage to leave are the lucky ones. The others just disappear, almost every day, and only 10 or 15 per cent of those cases are reported. Relatives are reluctant to speak up as they are threatened by the authorities; and if they talk they don't get to see their loved ones again. The numbers, according to The Voice of Missing Baloch People (VMBP) and other human rights organisations, are staggering. Since 2017, around 18,000 people have disappeared from Balochistan; give or take a citizen or two. Thousands of completely illegal arrests have been carried out, without the families involved being informed of the charges, with no legal help guaranteed or anyone being told where the prisoners are held. Not one of them, up to now, has appeared before a court. The numbers have become so high that some of the state institutions are finding it hard to continue denying what is happening before everyone's eyes. Government sources claim that about a thousand persons have disappeared in the last six years. According to the Federal Ministry of Human Rights, since 2011, nearly a thousand dead bodies have been found, mostly in the areas of Quetta, Khalat, Khuzdar, and Mekran. The VBMP maintains it can document at least 1200 cases where corpses have been found on the roadside and can be linked to persons abducted. Amnesty International recently asked Pakistan to "ensure that all measures are taken to immediately end the practice of enforced disappearance" but of course nobody is going to listen. Because the practice, so well experimented in Balochistan, has now become a standard way for the Pakistani government to deal with activists, journalists, free thinkers and any political opponent all over the country. Defence of Human Rights, a non-governmental organization working for the recovery of disappeared people, laments that more than 5,000 cases of enforced disappearance have remained unresolved till date in Pakistan. Most of these cases have been reported from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan and Sindh provinces. And according to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance established in 2011 under international pressure hasn't made any significant progress. The ICJ says the practice of enforced disappearances in Pakistan is no longer restricted to conflict zones alone and has become a "tactic for suppressing dissenting voices wherever they are present," adding that "the practice has now become a national phenomenon". According to the Amnesty Report, "the groups and individuals targeted in enforced disappearances in Pakistan include people from Sindhi, Baloch, Pashtun ethnicities, the Shia community, political activists, human rights defenders, members and supporters of religious and nationalist groups, suspected members of armed groups, and proscribed religious and political organisations in Pakistan. In some cases, persons are openly taken into custody by the police or intelligence agencies, and families trying to find out where their loved ones are held, are denied information by the authorities. Some victims are eventually released or their whereabouts are disclosed to their families but they continue to be held in arbitrary detention including in internment camps. Those forcibly disappeared are also at risk of torture and death during captivity". The few people released are warned not to speak to the media or other organisations. Whoever asks for justice is targeted again. Soon enough, if the numbers of missing or killed and dumped people continue to grow, a part of the population will be formed by ghosts- An Army of White Walkers, who will and should haunt everybody 's sleep.

Balochistan: Pakistan's land of mass graves

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday reiterated his support for "inclusive development" in Balochistan.Dawn quoted the Prime Minister while addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of Balochistan Medical Complex, as saying, "When you empower people on a village level, it will help development."

"We have to make sure that development is inclusive. The more we focus on Balochistan, the more it will develop and Pakistan along with it."

"The people of Balochistan fear that they will become a minority and lose their jobs. We were discussing this earlier. We need institutes for technical education and skill development. I will discuss this further with the chief minister," he said.

Prime Minister Khan said that the medical complex would become a part of the medical city planned in Quetta.

"We are also going to build a cancer hospital here," Khan said.

The Prime Minister further noted that Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid is working on a plan for a rail network from Quetta to Taftan in Iran, apart from creating a master plan for Quetta.

"Major cities in Pakistan do not have master plans, and cities are expanding. Unless you have master plans in place, you cannot provide basic facilities in urban areas," Khan said.

Balochistan is famous for its port city of Gwadar, which features the multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major investment project as well as a geostrategic asset for China to strengthen its military prowess in the South Asian region.

Prime Minister Khan regretted that Balochistan was neglected in the past and was only remembered at the time of elections in the country.

"Our focus is to develop Balochistan," ARY News quoted Khan as saying.

Dubbing the western route of CPEC as a "game changer", the Prime Minister said, "China was working on the eastern route. We should have worked on the western route."

"This 305-kilometre route will bring a lot of change and development."

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for a new international airport at Gwadar, which he promised, will have the latest equipment and facilities and is expected to be one of the country`s largest airports.Lastly, the Prime Minister further announced that Gwadar will be connected to Pakistan`s national grid.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday reiterated his support for "inclusive development" in Balochistan.Dawn quoted the Prime Minister while addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of Balochistan Medical Complex, as saying, "When you empower people on a village level, it will help development.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday reiterated his support for "inclusive development" in Balochistan.Dawn quoted the Prime Minister while addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of Balochistan Medical Complex, as saying, "When you empower people on a village level, it will help development." "We have to make sure that development is inclusive. The more we focus on Balochistan, the more it will develop and Pakistan along with it." "The people of Balochistan fear that they will become a minority and lose their jobs. We were discussing this earlier. We need institutes for technical education and skill development. I will discuss this further with the chief minister," he said. Prime Minister Khan said that the medical complex would become a part of the medical city planned in Quetta. "We are also going to build a cancer hospital here," Khan said. The Prime Minister further noted that Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid is working on a plan for a rail network from Quetta to Taftan in Iran, apart from creating a master plan for Quetta. "Major cities in Pakistan do not have master plans, and cities are expanding. Unless you have master plans in place, you cannot provide basic facilities in urban areas," Khan said. Balochistan is famous for its port city of Gwadar, which features the multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major investment project as well as a geostrategic asset for China to strengthen its military prowess in the South Asian region. Prime Minister Khan regretted that Balochistan was neglected in the past and was only remembered at the time of elections in the country. "Our focus is to develop Balochistan," ARY News quoted Khan as saying. Dubbing the western route of CPEC as a "game changer", the Prime Minister said, "China was working on the eastern route. We should have worked on the western route." "This 305-kilometre route will bring a lot of change and development." The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for a new international airport at Gwadar, which he promised, will have the latest equipment and facilities and is expected to be one of the country`s largest airports.Lastly, the Prime Minister further announced that Gwadar will be connected to Pakistan`s national grid.

Imran Khan reiterates support for 'inclusive development' in Balochistan

Balochistan should be oozing with optimism as Chinese and Saudi investment pours into the troubled Pakistani province. It is not. Instead, Balochistan, a key node in China’s Belt and Road initiative that borders Iran, is gripped by anger, fear and uncertainty.

Local residents are waiting with bated breath Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan’s visit this week for the Gwadar Expo 2019 and groundbreaking of several infrastructure and development projects, including an international airport, a power plant, a vocational training institute and a hospital.

Against the backdrop of a history of neglect and underdevelopment, resource-rich Balochistan struggles with a failing health and education system, drought, and lack of basic infrastructure.

“The historical lack of investment in basic economic and social infrastructure in the province – except for extraction of natural gas for use in other provinces – has resulted in a low level of economic activity, implying a narrow tax base and limited fiscal resources to invest in development,” said economist Kaiser Bengali in a recently published study.

Beyond looking at Balochistan as a source of resource wealth, successive governments in Islamabad alongside the powerful military have viewed the province predominantly through the lens of security and law enforcement driven by domestic and geopolitical concerns.

Kech, Balochistan’s second most populous region known to be the province’s intellectual heartland from which many of its most prominent politicians, scholars, bureaucrats, poets, and writers hail, is a case in point. Access to the internet and 3G and 4G mobile services was cut off in Kech two years ago for security reasons. It is yet to be re-established.&nbsp;

Theoretically, all of that could change with massive Chinese and Saudi investment as well as Balochistan’s increased geopolitical significance given that it borders on Iran’s equally troubled Sistan and Baluchistan province.

Balochistan’s Chinese-supported port of Gwadar takes on added importance as Iran looks to its Indian-backed port of Chabahar, a mere 70 kilometres up the coast of the Arabian Sea, as a way to blunt the impact of crippling US sanctions.

The sanctions were imposed last year after the Trump administration withdrew from the 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear program. Chabahar is the only Iranian port exempted from the sanctions in a nod to India.

China has invested in recent years an estimated $19 billion in Gwadar as well as roads and other infrastructure in Balochistan as part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). China and Pakistan envision CPEC as a crown jewel of Beijing’s infrastructure- and energy driven Belt and Road initiative.

For its part, Saudi Arabia is looking to pump more than $10 billion into the building of a refinery in Gwadar and the development of a &nbsp;gold and copper mine on the Iranian border.

The problem is that the lack of a trickle-down effect has so far served to fuel anger rather than spark a sense of optimism among local Baloch. The Baloch have seen jobs being handed out to workers from other parts of Pakistan as well as China, parts of Gwadar being developed into a no-go zone for locals, and fishermen being banned from their traditional fishing ponds.

In addition, predictions that Balochistan’s indigenous population of 70,000 will be dwarfed by an estimated two million immigrants from other parts of Pakistan, as well as China, have reinforced a prevailing sense of uncertainty.

Some of that anger and uncertainty has been channelled into anti-Chinese and anti-Pakistani nationalist sentiment with intermittent attacks on Chinese targets as well as militant religious assaults on the Pakistani military, law enforcement and judicial outposts.

Similarly, Balochistan’s strategic geopolitical position is as much an asset as it is a problem. The Saudi investment coupled with the US and Saudi determination to force Iran to change its regional policies, if not its regime, have made the province alongside its equally underdeveloped neighbouring Iranian counterpart potential battlefields.

Cross border attacks and suicide bombings have added to uncertainty fuelled by statements coming out of Washington and Riyadh as well as reports of funds from Saudi Arabia flowing into militant anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian madrassas or religious seminaries that dot the Pakistani-Iranian border.

The attacks together with the Saudi investment and evolving US and Saudi strategy has put strains on Pakistani-Iranian relations with each side pointing a finger to the other. In the media and among policy wonks, the finger pointing often amounts to the kettle calling the pot black.

“Fact (is) that there is a problem in Sistan-o-Balochistan where people are struggling for their political rights in their own province. It is a common grudge amongst the Baloch population in the Iranian Balochistan that they are under-represented in the government, bureaucracy and armed forces… Sectarian divide is another major source of friction in the province where overwhelming majority of Baloch are Sunnis… Poverty amongst the Baloch is the highest if compared to rest of the country,” said former Pakistani ambassador Assif Durrani who was last posted in Tehran.

Durrani’s comments were equally applicable to the Baloch province of his own country.

Returning from a recent visit to Balochistan, Pakistani policy analyst Muhammad Amir Rana described “an environment of fear; the local journalists cannot report much about residents’ issues, not even water supply problems.”

Rana expressed hope that Khan, the prime minister, would “help locals retreat from the jaws of uncertainty and fear.”

To do that, Khan will have to do more than talk the walk and inaugurate projects.

He will have to ensure equitable economic and social policies and address indeed both immediate concerns and existential fears.&nbsp;

He will also have to manage an explosive geopolitical environment despite increasing economic and financial dependence on key external players. That could prove to be a tall order. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

&nbsp;

Balochistan should be oozing with optimism as Chinese and Saudi investment pours into the troubled Pakistani province. It is not. Instead, Balochistan, a key node in China’s Belt and Road initiative that borders Iran, is gripped by anger, fear and uncertainty.

Balochistan should be oozing with optimism as Chinese and Saudi investment pours into the troubled Pakistani province. It is not. Instead, Balochistan, a key node in China’s Belt and Road initiative that borders Iran, is gripped by anger, fear and uncertainty. Local residents are waiting with bated breath Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan’s visit this week for the Gwadar Expo 2019 and groundbreaking of several infrastructure and development projects, including an international airport, a power plant, a vocational training institute and a hospital. Against the backdrop of a history of neglect and underdevelopment, resource-rich Balochistan struggles with a failing health and education system, drought, and lack of basic infrastructure. “The historical lack of investment in basic economic and social infrastructure in the province – except for extraction of natural gas for use in other provinces – has resulted in a low level of economic activity, implying a narrow tax base and limited fiscal resources to invest in development,” said economist Kaiser Bengali in a recently published study. Beyond looking at Balochistan as a source of resource wealth, successive governments in Islamabad alongside the powerful military have viewed the province predominantly through the lens of security and law enforcement driven by domestic and geopolitical concerns. Kech, Balochistan’s second most populous region known to be the province’s intellectual heartland from which many of its most prominent politicians, scholars, bureaucrats, poets, and writers hail, is a case in point. Access to the internet and 3G and 4G mobile services was cut off in Kech two years ago for security reasons. It is yet to be re-established. Theoretically, all of that could change with massive Chinese and Saudi investment as well as Balochistan’s increased geopolitical significance given that it borders on Iran’s equally troubled Sistan and Baluchistan province. Balochistan’s Chinese-supported port of Gwadar takes on added importance as Iran looks to its Indian-backed port of Chabahar, a mere 70 kilometres up the coast of the Arabian Sea, as a way to blunt the impact of crippling US sanctions. The sanctions were imposed last year after the Trump administration withdrew from the 2015 international agreement that curbed Iran’s nuclear program. Chabahar is the only Iranian port exempted from the sanctions in a nod to India. China has invested in recent years an estimated $19 billion in Gwadar as well as roads and other infrastructure in Balochistan as part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). China and Pakistan envision CPEC as a crown jewel of Beijing’s infrastructure- and energy driven Belt and Road initiative. For its part, Saudi Arabia is looking to pump more than $10 billion into the building of a refinery in Gwadar and the development of a gold and copper mine on the Iranian border. The problem is that the lack of a trickle-down effect has so far served to fuel anger rather than spark a sense of optimism among local Baloch. The Baloch have seen jobs being handed out to workers from other parts of Pakistan as well as China, parts of Gwadar being developed into a no-go zone for locals, and fishermen being banned from their traditional fishing ponds. In addition, predictions that Balochistan’s indigenous population of 70,000 will be dwarfed by an estimated two million immigrants from other parts of Pakistan, as well as China, have reinforced a prevailing sense of uncertainty. Some of that anger and uncertainty has been channelled into anti-Chinese and anti-Pakistani nationalist sentiment with intermittent attacks on Chinese targets as well as militant religious assaults on the Pakistani military, law enforcement and judicial outposts. Similarly, Balochistan’s strategic geopolitical position is as much an asset as it is a problem. The Saudi investment coupled with the US and Saudi determination to force Iran to change its regional policies, if not its regime, have made the province alongside its equally underdeveloped neighbouring Iranian counterpart potential battlefields. Cross border attacks and suicide bombings have added to uncertainty fuelled by statements coming out of Washington and Riyadh as well as reports of funds from Saudi Arabia flowing into militant anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian madrassas or religious seminaries that dot the Pakistani-Iranian border. The attacks together with the Saudi investment and evolving US and Saudi strategy has put strains on Pakistani-Iranian relations with each side pointing a finger to the other. In the media and among policy wonks, the finger pointing often amounts to the kettle calling the pot black. “Fact (is) that there is a problem in Sistan-o-Balochistan where people are struggling for their political rights in their own province. It is a common grudge amongst the Baloch population in the Iranian Balochistan that they are under-represented in the government, bureaucracy and armed forces… Sectarian divide is another major source of friction in the province where overwhelming majority of Baloch are Sunnis… Poverty amongst the Baloch is the highest if compared to rest of the country,” said former Pakistani ambassador Assif Durrani who was last posted in Tehran. Durrani’s comments were equally applicable to the Baloch province of his own country. Returning from a recent visit to Balochistan, Pakistani policy analyst Muhammad Amir Rana described “an environment of fear; the local journalists cannot report much about residents’ issues, not even water supply problems.” Rana expressed hope that Khan, the prime minister, would “help locals retreat from the jaws of uncertainty and fear.” To do that, Khan will have to do more than talk the walk and inaugurate projects. He will have to ensure equitable economic and social policies and address indeed both immediate concerns and existential fears. He will also have to manage an explosive geopolitical environment despite increasing economic and financial dependence on key external players. That could prove to be a tall order. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Against the backdrop of history of neglect, Balochistan is gripped by fear and uncertainty

At last six Pakistani policemen were killed in a raid on a checkpoint in southwestern Balochistan province, officials said Wednesday, in the latest Taliban-claimed attack in the restive area.

The assault took place in the mountainous Sanjawi area of Ziarat district, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) east of the provincial capital Quetta.

"It was a sudden attack. The attackers came on motorcycles and killed all six personnel on duty," Qadir Bakhsh, a senior government official in Ziarat, told AFP.

Bakhsh said the attackers were armed with automatic weapons and fled after the assault early Wednesday, adding that a search operation has been launched in the area.&nbsp;

The Pakistani Taliban later claimed responsibility for the attack in an email sent to media.

Faisal Agha -- another senior government official -- confirmed the attack and toll.

The incident comes after at least four people were killed and seven wounded in a bomb attack on Sunday in the mineral-rich province.

Balochistan, which borders both Afghanistan and Iran, has been beset by ethnic, Islamist, and political insurgencies for decades along with high levels of poverty.

Its residents have long complained that it does not receive a fair share of the profits made from the province's abundant mineral wealth.

China, one of Pakistan's closest allies, has poured billions into the South Asian country in recent years as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) -- a massive infrastructure project that seeks to connect its western province of Xinjiang with the Arabian Sea port of Gwadar in Balochistan.

The subject of economic dividends from CPEC is extremely sensitive in some of those areas -- particularly in Balochistan.

Since the beginning of the project, militants have repeatedly attacked construction sites, blowing up numerous gas pipelines and trains, and targeted Chinese workers.

The Pakistani military has been targeting insurgencies in the province since 2004, and has been repeatedly accused by international rights groups of abuses there. It denies the allegations.

At last six Pakistani policemen were killed in a raid on a checkpoint in southwestern Balochistan province, officials said Wednesday, in the latest Taliban-claimed attack in the restive area.

At last six Pakistani policemen were killed in a raid on a checkpoint in southwestern Balochistan province, officials said Wednesday, in the latest Taliban-claimed attack in the restive area. The assault took place in the mountainous Sanjawi area of Ziarat district, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) east of the provincial capital Quetta. "It was a sudden attack. The attackers came on motorcycles and killed all six personnel on duty," Qadir Bakhsh, a senior government official in Ziarat, told AFP. Bakhsh said the attackers were armed with automatic weapons and fled after the assault early Wednesday, adding that a search operation has been launched in the area. The Pakistani Taliban later claimed responsibility for the attack in an email sent to media. Faisal Agha -- another senior government official -- confirmed the attack and toll. The incident comes after at least four people were killed and seven wounded in a bomb attack on Sunday in the mineral-rich province. Balochistan, which borders both Afghanistan and Iran, has been beset by ethnic, Islamist, and political insurgencies for decades along with high levels of poverty. Its residents have long complained that it does not receive a fair share of the profits made from the province's abundant mineral wealth. China, one of Pakistan's closest allies, has poured billions into the South Asian country in recent years as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) -- a massive infrastructure project that seeks to connect its western province of Xinjiang with the Arabian Sea port of Gwadar in Balochistan. The subject of economic dividends from CPEC is extremely sensitive in some of those areas -- particularly in Balochistan. Since the beginning of the project, militants have repeatedly attacked construction sites, blowing up numerous gas pipelines and trains, and targeted Chinese workers. The Pakistani military has been targeting insurgencies in the province since 2004, and has been repeatedly accused by international rights groups of abuses there. It denies the allegations.

Pakistan: Six policemen killed in Balochistan attack; Taliban claims responsibility

Baloch Liberation Tigers (BLT) claimed responsibility for a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/four-killed-in-train-blast-in-pakistans-resource-rich-baluchistan-203844">blast that took place on a railway track in Pakistan's Balochistan</a> province on Sunday, news agency ANI reported.

According to reports, the blast was carried out with a remote-controlled device in Naseerabad, Balochistan on Sunday morning and affected Jaffar Express train.&nbsp;

As many as four security personnel lost their lives in the blast, many got wounded. The blast derailed 6 carriages of the train, which was running from the northwestern city of Peshawar to the Balochistan provincial capital of Quetta, news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;

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Pakistan: Baloch Liberation Tigers (BLT) claimed responsibility for a blast on Jaffar Express Train with remote controlled device in Naseerabad, Balochistan on Sunday morning. 4 security personnel have been killed, many wounded &amp; 5 bogies of the train got derailed. (17/3) <a href="https://t.co/1YLITG1oBE">pic.twitter.com/1YLITG1oBE</a>
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Separatist rebels have been fighting the security forces for years in the resource-rich province of Balochistan. &nbsp;

It was the second train attack in two weeks in the area. No casualties were reported in the earlier blast.

Balochistan is an important part of transport and energy projects that form part of China’s Belt and Road initiative, which has brought $57 billion of investment to Pakistan.

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

Baloch Liberation Tigers (BLT) claimed responsibility for a blast that took place on a railway track in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Sunday, news agency ANI reported.

Baloch Liberation Tigers (BLT) claimed responsibility for a blast that took place on a railway track in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Sunday, news agency ANI reported. According to reports, the blast was carried out with a remote-controlled device in Naseerabad, Balochistan on Sunday morning and affected Jaffar Express train. As many as four security personnel lost their lives in the blast, many got wounded. The blast derailed 6 carriages of the train, which was running from the northwestern city of Peshawar to the Balochistan provincial capital of Quetta, news agency Reuters reported. Pakistan: Baloch Liberation Tigers (BLT) claimed responsibility for a blast on Jaffar Express Train with remote controlled device in Naseerabad, Balochistan on Sunday morning. 4 security personnel have been killed, many wounded & 5 bogies of the train got derailed. (17/3) pic.twitter.com/1YLITG1oBE — ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2019 × Separatist rebels have been fighting the security forces for years in the resource-rich province of Balochistan. It was the second train attack in two weeks in the area. No casualties were reported in the earlier blast. Balochistan is an important part of transport and energy projects that form part of China’s Belt and Road initiative, which has brought $57 billion of investment to Pakistan. (With inputs from Reuters)

Pakistan: Baloch Liberation Tigers claim responsibility of blast that derailed train, killed 4

Four people were killed and 10 injured in Pakistan on Sunday when a bomb went off on a train track in the resource-rich province of Balochistan, where separatist rebels have been fighting the security forces for years.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but ethnic Baluch separatists, fighting what they call the unfair exploitation of their province's gas and other resources, have attacked trains in the past.

'Four people – a teenage girl her mother and two others were killed in the blast,'&nbsp;Irfan Bashir, police chief of Naseerabad district where the blast occurred, told Reuters.

The blast derailed six carriages of the train, which was travelling from the northwestern city of Peshawar to the Balochistan provincial capital of Quetta.

It was the second train attack in two weeks in the area. No casualties were reported in the earlier blast, said another police officer.

Balochistan is an important part of transport and energy projects that form part of China’s Belt and Road initiative, which has brought $57 billion of investment to Pakistan.

Violence in the province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has fuelled concern about security for the investment, in particular, an energy link planned to run from western China to Pakistan's southern port of Gwadar.

Four people were killed and 10 injured in Pakistan on Sunday when a bomb went off on a train track in the resource-rich province of Balochistan, where separatist rebels have been fighting the security forces for years.

Four people were killed and 10 injured in Pakistan on Sunday when a bomb went off on a train track in the resource-rich province of Balochistan, where separatist rebels have been fighting the security forces for years. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but ethnic Baluch separatists, fighting what they call the unfair exploitation of their province's gas and other resources, have attacked trains in the past. 'Four people – a teenage girl her mother and two others were killed in the blast,' Irfan Bashir, police chief of Naseerabad district where the blast occurred, told Reuters. The blast derailed six carriages of the train, which was travelling from the northwestern city of Peshawar to the Balochistan provincial capital of Quetta. It was the second train attack in two weeks in the area. No casualties were reported in the earlier blast, said another police officer. Balochistan is an important part of transport and energy projects that form part of China’s Belt and Road initiative, which has brought $57 billion of investment to Pakistan. Violence in the province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has fuelled concern about security for the investment, in particular, an energy link planned to run from western China to Pakistan's southern port of Gwadar.

Pakistan: Four killed, 10 wounded after bomb went off on train track in Balochistan

Terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), in its mouthpiece Al Qalam, mentioned&nbsp;Zee News programme DNA&nbsp;while writing a piece on the Indian media.

In the editorial piece, Al Qalam said, "India's famous channel Zee-DNA's anchor Sudhir Chaudhary said that India was behind the breakdown of Bangladesh. The Indian government should intensify its action in Pakistan so that Pakistan should get fragmented. Not only this, but in the prime time program, it has been emphasising that Pakistan should be attacked and war is the only way."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/decoding-xi-jinpings-new-era-and-chinas-objection-to-un-ban-on-jem-chief-masood-azhar-203227">Masood Azhar-led JeM</a>, which has openly spread its anti-India hate campaign through its media outlet accused the Indian media of being a "black spot" in the name of journalism. Clearly, the fact that post-Pulwama, the Indian media openly castigated the terror outfit hasn't gone down well with Masood Azhar.

In fact, Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary&nbsp;in his programme on March 6 had said that "when India gets angry, Pakistan is blown to smithereens."

"This happened in 1971 when Pakistan was divided into two, but now they are beginning to forget the biggest loss in their history. Pakistan is under immense pressure, and one of its regions - Balochistan - is fighting to be free from its rule. The people of Balochistan are fed up of the torture meted out by Pakistan army and want independence," Sudhir Chaudhary said in his programme.

The JeM mouthpiece was caught off-guard as the programme aired on Zee exposed the real feeling prevailing inside Pakistan.

"Balochistan constitutes 44 per cent of Pakistan's total land area. If the region gets independence, Pakistan will lose its identity as a country. If Pakistan doesn't give up their Kashmir dream and focus on fulfilling the wishes on Balochistan, it will lose out 44 per cent of its territory," Zee Network's anchor and editor-in-chief said.

"Balochistan is now a conflict zone where no reporting is allowed because it is controlled by the Pakistani Army. It is a tough job to present the truth of Balochistan to the world. It is heavily guarded by Pakistani military, so the true picture of the torture is never revealed," Sudhir Chaudhary said.

"The only way to understand the real situation is through some videos posted on social media by the residents. People making these videos have to travel hundreds of kilometres to areas where internet is available. They then upload the video for the world to see," the programme revealed.

Terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), in its mouthpiece Al Qalam, mentioned Zee News programme DNA while writing a piece on the Indian media. In the editorial piece, Al Qalam said, "India's famous channel Zee-DNA's anchor Sudhir Chaudhary said that India was behind the breakdown of Bangladesh.

Terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), in its mouthpiece Al Qalam, mentioned Zee News programme DNA while writing a piece on the Indian media. In the editorial piece, Al Qalam said, "India's famous channel Zee-DNA's anchor Sudhir Chaudhary said that India was behind the breakdown of Bangladesh. The Indian government should intensify its action in Pakistan so that Pakistan should get fragmented. Not only this, but in the prime time program, it has been emphasising that Pakistan should be attacked and war is the only way." Masood Azhar-led JeM, which has openly spread its anti-India hate campaign through its media outlet accused the Indian media of being a "black spot" in the name of journalism. Clearly, the fact that post-Pulwama, the Indian media openly castigated the terror outfit hasn't gone down well with Masood Azhar. In fact, Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary in his programme on March 6 had said that "when India gets angry, Pakistan is blown to smithereens." "This happened in 1971 when Pakistan was divided into two, but now they are beginning to forget the biggest loss in their history. Pakistan is under immense pressure, and one of its regions - Balochistan - is fighting to be free from its rule. The people of Balochistan are fed up of the torture meted out by Pakistan army and want independence," Sudhir Chaudhary said in his programme. The JeM mouthpiece was caught off-guard as the programme aired on Zee exposed the real feeling prevailing inside Pakistan. "Balochistan constitutes 44 per cent of Pakistan's total land area. If the region gets independence, Pakistan will lose its identity as a country. If Pakistan doesn't give up their Kashmir dream and focus on fulfilling the wishes on Balochistan, it will lose out 44 per cent of its territory," Zee Network's anchor and editor-in-chief said. "Balochistan is now a conflict zone where no reporting is allowed because it is controlled by the Pakistani Army. It is a tough job to present the truth of Balochistan to the world. It is heavily guarded by Pakistani military, so the true picture of the torture is never revealed," Sudhir Chaudhary said. "The only way to understand the real situation is through some videos posted on social media by the residents. People making these videos have to travel hundreds of kilometres to areas where internet is available. They then upload the video for the world to see," the programme revealed.

JeM mentions Sudhir Chaudhary's DNA programme in its mouthpiece

A powerful explosion ripped through a crowded market in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Thursday, killing two persons and injuring seven others.

According to officials, the bomb blast took place in Panjgur district's Chitkan market.

"Two people were killed in the blast on the spot and seven others injured," they said.

The deceased were&nbsp;in a car which caught fire after the blast, the officials said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Last month, many incidents of violence and terrorism reported from Balochistan.

On February 24, at least one person was killed and 18 others injured in a bomb blast in Dera Murad Jamali.

On February 17, four soldiers were killed in an ambush by terrorists in&nbsp;Goran, some 70 kilometres from Panjgur district.

A powerful explosion ripped through a crowded market in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Thursday, killing two persons and injuring seven others. According to officials, the bomb blast took place in Panjgur district's Chitkan market.

A powerful explosion ripped through a crowded market in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Thursday, killing two persons and injuring seven others. According to officials, the bomb blast took place in Panjgur district's Chitkan market. "Two people were killed in the blast on the spot and seven others injured," they said. The deceased were in a car which caught fire after the blast, the officials said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Last month, many incidents of violence and terrorism reported from Balochistan. On February 24, at least one person was killed and 18 others injured in a bomb blast in Dera Murad Jamali. On February 17, four soldiers were killed in an ambush by terrorists in Goran, some 70 kilometres from Panjgur district.

Bomb blast kills two in Pakistan's Balochistan

Heavy snowfall and rains have killed around 10 people in different parts of Balochistan province, with nearly 1,500 stranded families rescued by Pakistan Army helicopters.

Rescue officials said heavy flooding caused by rains and snowfall had affected most parts of Chaman, Bolan, Khuzdar, Pishin, Lasbela, Dalbandin, Qila Abdullah, Khuzdar and Kech, where hundreds of families were rendered homeless after their houses were swept away.

"We have reports of some 10 deaths from different areas due to the extreme weather conditions," an official said.

The media has reported around two dozen deaths due to snowfall, rains and flooding in other parts of Pakistan, which is witnessing an unusually long winter.

The official said two children of a family were killed and their parents injured in Chaman when the roof of their house caved in, while heavy downpour in Khuzdar led to the collapse of a house, killing three children and injuring others.

He added that deaths were also reported from Bolan due to torrential rains and due to flooding in Mastung and Uthal, Lasbela.

"Two persons got swept away in floodwaters and are feared dead in Dalbindin and Pishin, while a coaster carrying 42 pilgrims to the Shah Noorani shrine in Lasbela was swept away by heavy flooding but later, the pilgrims were rescued with some of them injured," another official said.

Security forces were moved to assist the civil administration in rescue-and-relief operations for flood victims in various parts of the province, the military's media wing said on Sunday.

An update shared by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said nearly 1,500 families had been rescued by Pakistan Army aviation helicopters in the Dureji (Lasbela) and Qila Abdullah areas. Also, rations have been provided to some 3,500 families in the rain-affected areas of the province.

Additionally, security forces have rescued the vehicles that were stranded at different places in the province.

Heavy snowfall and rains have killed around 10 people in different parts of Balochistan province, with nearly 1,500 stranded families rescued by Pakistan Army helicopters.

Heavy snowfall and rains have killed around 10 people in different parts of Balochistan province, with nearly 1,500 stranded families rescued by Pakistan Army helicopters. Rescue officials said heavy flooding caused by rains and snowfall had affected most parts of Chaman, Bolan, Khuzdar, Pishin, Lasbela, Dalbandin, Qila Abdullah, Khuzdar and Kech, where hundreds of families were rendered homeless after their houses were swept away. "We have reports of some 10 deaths from different areas due to the extreme weather conditions," an official said. The media has reported around two dozen deaths due to snowfall, rains and flooding in other parts of Pakistan, which is witnessing an unusually long winter. The official said two children of a family were killed and their parents injured in Chaman when the roof of their house caved in, while heavy downpour in Khuzdar led to the collapse of a house, killing three children and injuring others. He added that deaths were also reported from Bolan due to torrential rains and due to flooding in Mastung and Uthal, Lasbela. "Two persons got swept away in floodwaters and are feared dead in Dalbindin and Pishin, while a coaster carrying 42 pilgrims to the Shah Noorani shrine in Lasbela was swept away by heavy flooding but later, the pilgrims were rescued with some of them injured," another official said. Security forces were moved to assist the civil administration in rescue-and-relief operations for flood victims in various parts of the province, the military's media wing said on Sunday. An update shared by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said nearly 1,500 families had been rescued by Pakistan Army aviation helicopters in the Dureji (Lasbela) and Qila Abdullah areas. Also, rations have been provided to some 3,500 families in the rain-affected areas of the province. Additionally, security forces have rescued the vehicles that were stranded at different places in the province.

10 dead due to heavy snowfall, rain in Pak's Balochistan; 1,500 families rescued

Pakistan’s nefarious agenda of filling coffers of Islamabad through systematic political exploitation of Balochistan, compounded by heightened military operations has left the resource and mineral-rich province as one of the most impoverished regions across the world. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Widespread economic depredations through a structured design are the reality of Balochistan.&nbsp;

The locals, activists, and leaders who have dared raise their voice against the oppression have met with a brute high handedness of security forces. &nbsp;

However, the freedom fighters who have been unrelenting in challenging the oppressive status quo in the region have resolved to resist the colonial forces of Pakistan.

Underlining the atrocities being meted out to people in Balochistan Bashir Zaib Baloch, the new head of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said the situation here is much grave than Palestine, Iraq, and in Afghanistan and sought international support in exposing Pakistan. Bashir Zaib Baloch took charge of BLA after its commander Aslam Baloch was killed in a suicide bombing last December.

Through a recorded video he said: &nbsp;“Today, I say this to the entire world, to India, to the United States of America and the European Union; whether you believe it or not, hear it or not. It has been said before by our friends as well; if the manner in which Baloch genocide is being carried out gets exposed, the problems of Kashmir, Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan will appear insignificant.”

The atrocities on Baloch people have increased since Islamabad and Beijing signed the multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).&nbsp;

The country has only stepped up its systematic violence in order to pave way for the much-hyped China Pakistan Economic Corridor (or CPEC) in recent times.

The people in Balochistan, who are championing the cause of the Free Balochistan Movement, are opposing the project which they say has exploited all their natural resources. Baloch freedom fighters, however, have vowed to resist this subjugation till the end of their lives. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Bashir Zaib Baloch added that “Pakistan and China, on the pretext of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), Gwadar Port, and Saindak project have unleashed their satanic designs in the region. Balochs are resisting them and will continue to do so till the end of their life as it is a matter of their identity. Still, they (Pakistan and China) have been aggressively plundering our resources. They have been trying hard to declare the unsuccessful project of CPEC as a game changer. Pakistan and China have been systematically killing Balochs.”

The fundamental fact with regards to Pakistan is that anyone who doesn’t belong to a particular feudal elite community -- predominantly comprising army generals and political leaders from its most favoured province of Punjab, are made to live a second-class citizen life. Whether it is the Balochs, Shias, Hazaras or Ahmedis -- none have been able to escape the state brutality by Pakistan.

Over the past few years, thousands of Baloch political activists and intellectuals have disappeared, many brutally killed by Pakistan’s snooping agency and army.

“Today, we are forced to kill or get killed. Today, we are losing our friends and families with a hope that world will listen to us and one day we’ll be able to get out of this bloodbath and will be able to escape the misrule of this Pakistani government,” said Bashir &nbsp;Although the region of Balochistan has been going through one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, it has failed to gather enough international attention.

In spite of the lack of international support, Baloch freedom fighters have intensified their rebellion against the Pakistani establishment. Baloch Liberation Army chief’s statements have certainly provided reinforcement to the movement that Pakistan is hell-bent on crushing through severe high handedness. &nbsp;

Pakistan’s nefarious agenda of filling coffers of Islamabad through systematic political exploitation of Balochistan, compounded by heightened military operations has left the resource and mineral-rich province as one of the most impoverished regions across the world.

Pakistan’s nefarious agenda of filling coffers of Islamabad through systematic political exploitation of Balochistan, compounded by heightened military operations has left the resource and mineral-rich province as one of the most impoverished regions across the world. Widespread economic depredations through a structured design are the reality of Balochistan. The locals, activists, and leaders who have dared raise their voice against the oppression have met with a brute high handedness of security forces. However, the freedom fighters who have been unrelenting in challenging the oppressive status quo in the region have resolved to resist the colonial forces of Pakistan. Underlining the atrocities being meted out to people in Balochistan Bashir Zaib Baloch, the new head of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said the situation here is much grave than Palestine, Iraq, and in Afghanistan and sought international support in exposing Pakistan. Bashir Zaib Baloch took charge of BLA after its commander Aslam Baloch was killed in a suicide bombing last December. Through a recorded video he said: “Today, I say this to the entire world, to India, to the United States of America and the European Union; whether you believe it or not, hear it or not. It has been said before by our friends as well; if the manner in which Baloch genocide is being carried out gets exposed, the problems of Kashmir, Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan will appear insignificant.” The atrocities on Baloch people have increased since Islamabad and Beijing signed the multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The country has only stepped up its systematic violence in order to pave way for the much-hyped China Pakistan Economic Corridor (or CPEC) in recent times. The people in Balochistan, who are championing the cause of the Free Balochistan Movement, are opposing the project which they say has exploited all their natural resources. Baloch freedom fighters, however, have vowed to resist this subjugation till the end of their lives. Bashir Zaib Baloch added that “Pakistan and China, on the pretext of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), Gwadar Port, and Saindak project have unleashed their satanic designs in the region. Balochs are resisting them and will continue to do so till the end of their life as it is a matter of their identity. Still, they (Pakistan and China) have been aggressively plundering our resources. They have been trying hard to declare the unsuccessful project of CPEC as a game changer. Pakistan and China have been systematically killing Balochs.” The fundamental fact with regards to Pakistan is that anyone who doesn’t belong to a particular feudal elite community -- predominantly comprising army generals and political leaders from its most favoured province of Punjab, are made to live a second-class citizen life. Whether it is the Balochs, Shias, Hazaras or Ahmedis -- none have been able to escape the state brutality by Pakistan. Over the past few years, thousands of Baloch political activists and intellectuals have disappeared, many brutally killed by Pakistan’s snooping agency and army. “Today, we are forced to kill or get killed. Today, we are losing our friends and families with a hope that world will listen to us and one day we’ll be able to get out of this bloodbath and will be able to escape the misrule of this Pakistani government,” said Bashir Although the region of Balochistan has been going through one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, it has failed to gather enough international attention. In spite of the lack of international support, Baloch freedom fighters have intensified their rebellion against the Pakistani establishment. Baloch Liberation Army chief’s statements have certainly provided reinforcement to the movement that Pakistan is hell-bent on crushing through severe high handedness.

Baloch commander vows to resist Pakistani subjugation till end of life

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday voiced serious concern over the violence perpetrated against peaceful protestors and civil activists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and warned that it could have “long-standing negative consequences".

Pakistan government has been resorting to violence to crush protests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Recently, a local Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Arman Loni died after Pakistani forces opened fire when he and his supporters were peacefully protesting against the growing forced evictions in the region."

"The Afghan government has serious concerns about the violence perpetrated against peaceful protestors and civil activists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan," Ghani tweeted.

“We believe it is the moral responsibility of every government to support civil activities that take a stand against the terrorism and extremism that plagues and threatens our region and collective security. Otherwise, there could be long-standing negative consequences,” Ghani tweeted.

Pakistan has been carrying out oppressive activities against ethnic Pashtuns, who have been regularly protesting and seeking justice for the atrocities committed by security forces in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi criticised the Afghan President for his statement.

"We reject the tweet by President Ashraf Ghani. Such irresponsible statements are only gross interference. Afghan leadership needs to focus on long-standing serious grievances of the Afghan people,” Qureshi tweeted.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday voiced serious concern over the violence perpetrated against peaceful protestors and civil activists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and warned that it could have “long-standing negative consequences".

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday voiced serious concern over the violence perpetrated against peaceful protestors and civil activists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and warned that it could have “long-standing negative consequences". Pakistan government has been resorting to violence to crush protests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Recently, a local Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Arman Loni died after Pakistani forces opened fire when he and his supporters were peacefully protesting against the growing forced evictions in the region." "The Afghan government has serious concerns about the violence perpetrated against peaceful protestors and civil activists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan," Ghani tweeted. “We believe it is the moral responsibility of every government to support civil activities that take a stand against the terrorism and extremism that plagues and threatens our region and collective security. Otherwise, there could be long-standing negative consequences,” Ghani tweeted. Pakistan has been carrying out oppressive activities against ethnic Pashtuns, who have been regularly protesting and seeking justice for the atrocities committed by security forces in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi criticised the Afghan President for his statement. "We reject the tweet by President Ashraf Ghani. Such irresponsible statements are only gross interference. Afghan leadership needs to focus on long-standing serious grievances of the Afghan people,” Qureshi tweeted.

Afghan President expresses concern over violence by Pakistani forces against Pashtuns, Balochistan

At least five people died and around 25 people were wounded when gunmen blasted their way into a police station in southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday while candidates were sitting for a police entrance exam, officials said.

Initial reports said a group of four gunmen detonated a grenade at the entrance of the deputy police inspector's office in Loralai district in Balochistan, a volatile southern province which has seen a string of militant attacks.

They then opened fire on police and candidates taking an exam to join the force, killing four police and one of the candidates.

"Army, Frontier Corps and police are conducting search operations in the area," said Ataullah, a senior police officer.

Fahim Otmankhail, a doctor at the district hospital, said five bodies and 25 wounded had been brought in so far.

The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-i Taliban Pakistan or TTP and which is separate from the Afghan Taliban, claimed responsibility.

Militant violence in Pakistan has fallen sharply from the levels seen a decade ago, but incidents still occur periodically in Balochistan, Pakistan's largest and poorest province which is at the centre of the strategic China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure development project.

Earlier this month, at least four members of the security forces were killed in an attack on a Frontier Corps training base in Loralai.

At least five people died and around 25 people were wounded when gunmen blasted their way into a police station in southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday while candidates were sitting for a police entrance exam, officials said.

At least five people died and around 25 people were wounded when gunmen blasted their way into a police station in southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday while candidates were sitting for a police entrance exam, officials said. Initial reports said a group of four gunmen detonated a grenade at the entrance of the deputy police inspector's office in Loralai district in Balochistan, a volatile southern province which has seen a string of militant attacks. They then opened fire on police and candidates taking an exam to join the force, killing four police and one of the candidates. "Army, Frontier Corps and police are conducting search operations in the area," said Ataullah, a senior police officer. Fahim Otmankhail, a doctor at the district hospital, said five bodies and 25 wounded had been brought in so far. The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-i Taliban Pakistan or TTP and which is separate from the Afghan Taliban, claimed responsibility. Militant violence in Pakistan has fallen sharply from the levels seen a decade ago, but incidents still occur periodically in Balochistan, Pakistan's largest and poorest province which is at the centre of the strategic China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) infrastructure development project. Earlier this month, at least four members of the security forces were killed in an attack on a Frontier Corps training base in Loralai.

Gunmen kill five in attack on Pakistan police station

Baloch Republican Party (BRP) workers held a seven-day awareness campaign outside the United Kingdom Prime Minister's office in London to highlight the unending killings, enforced disappearances, and alleged human rights violations in Balochistan.

BRP central spokesman Sher Mohammad Bugti said in a statement that the campaign started on January 19 and came to an end with a protest demonstration on January 26.&nbsp;

On the last day of the campaign, the demonstration was joined by the activists of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and Free Balochistan Movement (FBM).

While addressing the protesters, BRP central leader Mansoor Baloch urged the UK government to take notice of human rights violations in Balochistan and pressurise the Pakistan government for releasing hundreds of Baloch missing persons reportedly lodged there.

Meanwhile, FBM leader Faiz Mohammad Baloch said that the UK should halt any kind of funds or aid to Pakistan army, adding that the latter has created many religious groups that are allegedly being used to suppress the voice of the oppressed such as Pashtun, Sindhi, and Baloch.

London-based PTM activist Falak Niyaz Khan expressed solidarity with BRP activists on a successful awareness campaign and said that Pashtuns were going through a similar phase. "Pashtuns are also missing in the thousands, hence we feel the pain of the Baloch people. The demands of the Baloch and Pashtun people are not outside the circle of Pakistan’s constitution; rather, the Baloch and Pashtun are simply asking for the basic right to their resources, hence are being disappeared at the hands of the Pakistan army,” he added.

Bugti thanked the activists of FBM and PTM and said the BRP will continue to raise the plight of Baloch at every possible forum. He further said that Pakistan’s policy of abductions and killing has completely failed, adding that Baloch will not back off from their basic demands and will appeal to all European Union member states to take cognizance of the gross human rights violations and take practical steps to put an end to it.

Baloch Republican Party (BRP) workers held a seven-day awareness campaign outside the United Kingdom Prime Minister's office in London to highlight the unending killings, enforced disappearances, and alleged human rights violations in Balochistan.

Baloch Republican Party (BRP) workers held a seven-day awareness campaign outside the United Kingdom Prime Minister's office in London to highlight the unending killings, enforced disappearances, and alleged human rights violations in Balochistan. BRP central spokesman Sher Mohammad Bugti said in a statement that the campaign started on January 19 and came to an end with a protest demonstration on January 26. On the last day of the campaign, the demonstration was joined by the activists of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and Free Balochistan Movement (FBM). While addressing the protesters, BRP central leader Mansoor Baloch urged the UK government to take notice of human rights violations in Balochistan and pressurise the Pakistan government for releasing hundreds of Baloch missing persons reportedly lodged there. Meanwhile, FBM leader Faiz Mohammad Baloch said that the UK should halt any kind of funds or aid to Pakistan army, adding that the latter has created many religious groups that are allegedly being used to suppress the voice of the oppressed such as Pashtun, Sindhi, and Baloch. London-based PTM activist Falak Niyaz Khan expressed solidarity with BRP activists on a successful awareness campaign and said that Pashtuns were going through a similar phase. "Pashtuns are also missing in the thousands, hence we feel the pain of the Baloch people. The demands of the Baloch and Pashtun people are not outside the circle of Pakistan’s constitution; rather, the Baloch and Pashtun are simply asking for the basic right to their resources, hence are being disappeared at the hands of the Pakistan army,” he added. Bugti thanked the activists of FBM and PTM and said the BRP will continue to raise the plight of Baloch at every possible forum. He further said that Pakistan’s policy of abductions and killing has completely failed, adding that Baloch will not back off from their basic demands and will appeal to all European Union member states to take cognizance of the gross human rights violations and take practical steps to put an end to it.

Baloch activists hold awareness campaign in London to highlight issue of missing persons

At least 26 people were killed and over a dozen others injured after a collision between a fuel-laden truck and a passenger bus in the Hub area of Pakistan's Balochistan, police said Tuesday.

The accident took place in the Lasbela district near Hub when a bus, travelling to Panjgur from Karachi and carrying 40 passengers, was hit by the truck coming from the opposite direction, they said.

"A huge fire erupted after the accident as the truck was carrying Iranian diesel," a senior official said.

"The passengers started jumping out of the bus to save their lives but many were trapped inside as the flames engulfed the bus and the truck," he added.

The official said 26 bodies have been recovered from the crash site.&nbsp;

"All of them died from deadly burns," Lasbela Deputy Commissioner Shabir Mengal said.

He said that six of the 16 injured were in critical condition.

A rescue official of the Edhi Foundation said due to the absence of facilities and ambulances the injured were shifted to Karachi after a long delay.

He said most of the bodies recovered were burnt beyond recognition.

At least 26 people were killed and over a dozen others injured after a collision between a fuel-laden truck and a passenger bus in the Hub area of Pakistan's Balochistan, police said Tuesday.

At least 26 people were killed and over a dozen others injured after a collision between a fuel-laden truck and a passenger bus in the Hub area of Pakistan's Balochistan, police said Tuesday. The accident took place in the Lasbela district near Hub when a bus, travelling to Panjgur from Karachi and carrying 40 passengers, was hit by the truck coming from the opposite direction, they said. "A huge fire erupted after the accident as the truck was carrying Iranian diesel," a senior official said. "The passengers started jumping out of the bus to save their lives but many were trapped inside as the flames engulfed the bus and the truck," he added. The official said 26 bodies have been recovered from the crash site. "All of them died from deadly burns," Lasbela Deputy Commissioner Shabir Mengal said. He said that six of the 16 injured were in critical condition. A rescue official of the Edhi Foundation said due to the absence of facilities and ambulances the injured were shifted to Karachi after a long delay. He said most of the bodies recovered were burnt beyond recognition.

Pakistan: 26 killed in deadly truck-bus collision in Balochistan

Scores of leaders and workers of the Pashtoon Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) have been arrested by the Sindh police under anti-terrorism laws after they organised a rally on the outskirts of this city of Pakistan, officials said Tuesday.

According to senior police officials, the PTM leaders and workers were booked for resorting to "undesirable language against state institutions" at the rally held at Sohrab Goth here.

An FIR was registered by the state through Sohrab Goth Station House Officer Rao Zakir, they said.

The PTM is a social movement for Pashtun human rights based in the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan.

"The workers of the PTM under directions of Manzoor Pashteen organised a rally at a ground and when the complainant SHO rushed to the scene and asked the PTM president of the area, Naurazay Tareen, to show relevant permission documents, he became jittery and created hindrance in official work and chanted slogans against state institutions and police," reads the contents of the FIR.

Police alleged that the organisers did not listen to the SHO and spread provocation, "creating an atmosphere of serious fear and chaos".

Police invoked various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and 7-ATA (Anti-Terrorism Act) against 250-300 persons, including 16 identified by name.

Earlier, North Waziristan MNA Mohsin Dawar, who is a top leader of the PTM, in a tweet claimed the arrest and subsequent disappearance of Alamzeb Mehsud, described as an active member of the PTM and a campaigner for missing persons.

The lawmaker said the young man's arrest was the latest in a series of incidents involving Sindh police and security agencies harassing PTM workers and activists following the party's successful rally in Karachi on Sunday.

Dawar demanded the immediate release of Mehsud and other PTM workers.

The regional chapter of Amnesty International also expressed concern over the disappearance of the PTM activist.&nbsp;

"We are concerned about reports of the disappearance of PTM activist Alamzeb Mehsud. His whereabouts must be disclosed immediately. Either produce him in court or release him without delay," read a statement issued by the human rights watchdog.

Scores of leaders and workers of the Pashtoon Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) have been arrested by the Sindh police under anti-terrorism laws after they organised a rally on the outskirts of this city of Pakistan, officials said Tuesday.

Scores of leaders and workers of the Pashtoon Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) have been arrested by the Sindh police under anti-terrorism laws after they organised a rally on the outskirts of this city of Pakistan, officials said Tuesday. According to senior police officials, the PTM leaders and workers were booked for resorting to "undesirable language against state institutions" at the rally held at Sohrab Goth here. An FIR was registered by the state through Sohrab Goth Station House Officer Rao Zakir, they said. The PTM is a social movement for Pashtun human rights based in the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan. "The workers of the PTM under directions of Manzoor Pashteen organised a rally at a ground and when the complainant SHO rushed to the scene and asked the PTM president of the area, Naurazay Tareen, to show relevant permission documents, he became jittery and created hindrance in official work and chanted slogans against state institutions and police," reads the contents of the FIR. Police alleged that the organisers did not listen to the SHO and spread provocation, "creating an atmosphere of serious fear and chaos". Police invoked various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and 7-ATA (Anti-Terrorism Act) against 250-300 persons, including 16 identified by name. Earlier, North Waziristan MNA Mohsin Dawar, who is a top leader of the PTM, in a tweet claimed the arrest and subsequent disappearance of Alamzeb Mehsud, described as an active member of the PTM and a campaigner for missing persons. The lawmaker said the young man's arrest was the latest in a series of incidents involving Sindh police and security agencies harassing PTM workers and activists following the party's successful rally in Karachi on Sunday. Dawar demanded the immediate release of Mehsud and other PTM workers. The regional chapter of Amnesty International also expressed concern over the disappearance of the PTM activist. "We are concerned about reports of the disappearance of PTM activist Alamzeb Mehsud. His whereabouts must be disclosed immediately. Either produce him in court or release him without delay," read a statement issued by the human rights watchdog.

Pakistan: Scores held under anti-terrorism laws after PTM rally in Karachi

One of the alleged masterminds of an attack by a Pakistani separatist group on the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-firing-reported-outside-chinese-consulate-in-karachi-178903">Chinese consulate in Karachi </a>last month has been killed along with five associates, the insurgent group said on Wednesday.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which opposes projects linked to China's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative in resource-rich Baluchistan, issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the death of Aslam Baloch, one of its leaders.

"The important BLA commander Aslam Baloch, along with five associates in the organisation were martyred in an enemy attack on Monday," Jiand Baloch, a spokesman for the separatist group said in a statement that gave no further details.

Pakistan's Samaa Television reported that Aslam was killed along with a number of his commanders in a suicide attack in Aino Maina in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, across the border from Baluchistan.

There was no claim of responsibility for the killings and a spokesman for the Pakistani foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

Last month, three attackers stormed the Chinese consulate in Karachi, killing four people. Security forces killed the three attackers who were carrying explosives.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/attack-on-chinese-consulate-not-surprising-imran-khan-179053">Pakistan</a> has long accused its old rival India of supporting insurgents in Baluchistan. India denies helping Baluchistan insurgents and accuses Pakistan of nurturing Islamist militants throughout the region.

China has funded development of a deepwater port at Gwadar in south Baluchistan and is also investing in other projects as part of the giant China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Baluchistan, on the borders of Afghanistan and Iran, has rich mineral and natural gas reserves but is Pakistan's poorest province.

Separatists have for decades campaigned against what they see as the unfair exploitation of resources, in particular, natural gas and minerals.

One of the alleged masterminds of an attack by a Pakistani separatist group on the Chinese consulate in Karachi last month has been killed along with five associates, the insurgent group said on Wednesday.

One of the alleged masterminds of an attack by a Pakistani separatist group on the Chinese consulate in Karachi last month has been killed along with five associates, the insurgent group said on Wednesday. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which opposes projects linked to China's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative in resource-rich Baluchistan, issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the death of Aslam Baloch, one of its leaders. "The important BLA commander Aslam Baloch, along with five associates in the organisation were martyred in an enemy attack on Monday," Jiand Baloch, a spokesman for the separatist group said in a statement that gave no further details. Pakistan's Samaa Television reported that Aslam was killed along with a number of his commanders in a suicide attack in Aino Maina in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, across the border from Baluchistan. There was no claim of responsibility for the killings and a spokesman for the Pakistani foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment. Last month, three attackers stormed the Chinese consulate in Karachi, killing four people. Security forces killed the three attackers who were carrying explosives. Pakistan has long accused its old rival India of supporting insurgents in Baluchistan. India denies helping Baluchistan insurgents and accuses Pakistan of nurturing Islamist militants throughout the region. China has funded development of a deepwater port at Gwadar in south Baluchistan and is also investing in other projects as part of the giant China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Baluchistan, on the borders of Afghanistan and Iran, has rich mineral and natural gas reserves but is Pakistan's poorest province. Separatists have for decades campaigned against what they see as the unfair exploitation of resources, in particular, natural gas and minerals.

Pakistan: Alleged mastermind of Karachi's Chinese consulate attack killed

The Baloch Republican Party's Germany unit organised a protest demonstration in solidarity with the relatives of missing people from&nbsp; Balochistan to highlight the incidents of enforced disappearances in the region.

A large number of activists joined the demonstration to show their support for the struggles of the families of abducted Baloch activists.

Speaking to ANI, Jawad Baloch, the president of the BRP Germany unit said, "Today we Baloch people from all over&nbsp;Germany gathered here to&nbsp; protest&nbsp; the enforced disappearances in&nbsp;Pakistan, especially in the province&nbsp; Balochistan, where thousands of Baloch activists and students are missing."

"We are also here in solidarity with the relatives of the missing people, who are protesting in Quetta to release of their loved ones. We request the human rights organisations, the European Union, the country where we are living - Germany, to use their diplomatic relations with&nbsp; Pakistan to help release the missing Baloch people," Jawad added.

Meanwhile, Khaled Baloch, a member of the BRP said, "The aim of our demonstration is to ensure the release of the missing Baloch people, who have been abducted by the military forces of Pakistan. We appeal to the international community and human rights organisations to play their role in the safe release of the missing people and stop the ongoing human rights violation in Balochistan."

The Baloch Republican Party's Germany unit organised a protest demonstration in solidarity with the relatives of missing people from Balochistan to highlight the incidents of enforced disappearances in the region.

The Baloch Republican Party's Germany unit organised a protest demonstration in solidarity with the relatives of missing people from Balochistan to highlight the incidents of enforced disappearances in the region. A large number of activists joined the demonstration to show their support for the struggles of the families of abducted Baloch activists. Speaking to ANI, Jawad Baloch, the president of the BRP Germany unit said, "Today we Baloch people from all over Germany gathered here to protest the enforced disappearances in Pakistan, especially in the province Balochistan, where thousands of Baloch activists and students are missing." "We are also here in solidarity with the relatives of the missing people, who are protesting in Quetta to release of their loved ones. We request the human rights organisations, the European Union, the country where we are living - Germany, to use their diplomatic relations with Pakistan to help release the missing Baloch people," Jawad added. Meanwhile, Khaled Baloch, a member of the BRP said, "The aim of our demonstration is to ensure the release of the missing Baloch people, who have been abducted by the military forces of Pakistan. We appeal to the international community and human rights organisations to play their role in the safe release of the missing people and stop the ongoing human rights violation in Balochistan."

BRP in Germany protests enforced disappearance in Balochistan

The storming of the Chinese consulate in Karachi on November 24 by three heavily armed suicide squad members of a Baloch separatist group is loaded with meaning and message. It should be read correctly for understanding what gave rise to the attack and how the conditions that caused it may be eliminated.

While China’s diplomatic mission was the immediate target of the attack, which left seven including three of the terrorists dead, the larger target is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and China-Pakistan relations in all its dimensions.

The message seems to be that Baloch separatists will give no quarter to CPEC projects extending from Gwadar in Balochistan to Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang province. The Gwadar-Kashgar corridor, with a number of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) along the route, would be passing through the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan.

The $46-billion CPEC, in operation from November 2016, faces multiple – political, economic, financial, environmental and social – challenges. In spite of the problems, concerns and controversies, the Chinese have made admirable progress and succeeded in moving an impressive volume of goods from Kashgar to Gwadar in the last two years.

Thus, first and foremost, China’s resolve and success in persisting with the CPEC has led to this attack. There is no circumstantial evidence indicating the involvement of any other country. Yet the inference in informed quarters is that the Baloch separatists are, perhaps, only the instruments of powerful western interests and forces, which are determined to thwart China’s “infrastructural expansionism”.&nbsp;

Even so, the reality is that these forces have only capitalised on discontent fuelled by the CPEC in a restive Balochistan and motivated terror groups to strike.

Balochistan is aggrieved at not getting its due share of development out of the CPEC. There is no economic, entrepreneurial or employment spin-off for Balochistan as the CPEC is perceived as passing through the province. This has caused resentment and, combined with the suppression of Baloch rights and aspirations, is a powder keg.

Secondly, since the terrorists and their patrons exploited this situation of Balochis being reduced to deprived spectators, Pakistan and China must address the expectations of the Balochis. A good first step would be a more inclusive CPEC model of development with tangible outcomes to satisfy the people of Balochistan. That would eliminate one of the major conditions, which has sustained separatism and spawned terrorism.

Thirdly, there is no basis for the fear that China and/or Pakistan will backtrack on the CPEC, or that investors would be scared away, as Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan apprehends. Investors enjoying the full support of the Chinese and Pakistani state machinery and their armed might are unlikely to be put off by this attack. China and Chinese companies are the biggest investors in CPEC. In the unlikely event of any investor backing out, China has the surplus capital as well as capital goods to go ahead with completion of all the projects.

Fourthly, it would be counter-productive for Pakistan and China to jointly launch an offensive against Baloch separatists as suggested by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. While China has chosen to ignore and not commented on Qureshi’s idea, if pursued, it can only hurt the interests of Pakistan, Balochistan, the CPEC, China and Pakistan-China relations. Any Sino-Pakistan joint operation against Balochis would not make a distinction between separatists and the people of the province. It would be an all-out, indiscriminate military offensive, which would exacerbate the situation. As Pakistan’s most powerful all-weather friend, Beijing may not wish to court the anger of the Balochis and give the separatists more reason to target China. Besides, it would give mischief mongers abroad a handle to further exploit the political unrest in Balochistan.

Finally, the Government of India has taken a correct stand in aftermath of the attack, although it has been opposed to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of which the CPEC is a part. India has raised concerns over the CPEC, especially its passing through Gilgit Baltistan. There are also CPEC investments and projects in what India holds to be “occupied territory”. Yet India was quick to condemn the terrorist attack, stating: “There can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism. The perpetrators of this heinous attack should be brought to justice expeditiously.”

At the same time, India has denounced Pakistan’s repression of the Baloch people and violation of their human rights. New Delhi has sent out an unambiguous message that whatever its differences with China, reservations about CPEC and inclinations towards the cause of the Baloch people, India is uncompromisingly opposed to terrorism.

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-baloch-alienation-triggers-attack-on-chinese-consulate-2689619">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The storming of the Chinese consulate in Karachi on November 24 by three heavily armed suicide squad members of a Baloch separatist group is loaded with meaning and message.

The storming of the Chinese consulate in Karachi on November 24 by three heavily armed suicide squad members of a Baloch separatist group is loaded with meaning and message. It should be read correctly for understanding what gave rise to the attack and how the conditions that caused it may be eliminated. While China’s diplomatic mission was the immediate target of the attack, which left seven including three of the terrorists dead, the larger target is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and China-Pakistan relations in all its dimensions. The message seems to be that Baloch separatists will give no quarter to CPEC projects extending from Gwadar in Balochistan to Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang province. The Gwadar-Kashgar corridor, with a number of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) along the route, would be passing through the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan. The $46-billion CPEC, in operation from November 2016, faces multiple – political, economic, financial, environmental and social – challenges. In spite of the problems, concerns and controversies, the Chinese have made admirable progress and succeeded in moving an impressive volume of goods from Kashgar to Gwadar in the last two years. Thus, first and foremost, China’s resolve and success in persisting with the CPEC has led to this attack. There is no circumstantial evidence indicating the involvement of any other country. Yet the inference in informed quarters is that the Baloch separatists are, perhaps, only the instruments of powerful western interests and forces, which are determined to thwart China’s “infrastructural expansionism”. Even so, the reality is that these forces have only capitalised on discontent fuelled by the CPEC in a restive Balochistan and motivated terror groups to strike. Balochistan is aggrieved at not getting its due share of development out of the CPEC. There is no economic, entrepreneurial or employment spin-off for Balochistan as the CPEC is perceived as passing through the province. This has caused resentment and, combined with the suppression of Baloch rights and aspirations, is a powder keg. Secondly, since the terrorists and their patrons exploited this situation of Balochis being reduced to deprived spectators, Pakistan and China must address the expectations of the Balochis. A good first step would be a more inclusive CPEC model of development with tangible outcomes to satisfy the people of Balochistan. That would eliminate one of the major conditions, which has sustained separatism and spawned terrorism. Thirdly, there is no basis for the fear that China and/or Pakistan will backtrack on the CPEC, or that investors would be scared away, as Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan apprehends. Investors enjoying the full support of the Chinese and Pakistani state machinery and their armed might are unlikely to be put off by this attack. China and Chinese companies are the biggest investors in CPEC. In the unlikely event of any investor backing out, China has the surplus capital as well as capital goods to go ahead with completion of all the projects. Fourthly, it would be counter-productive for Pakistan and China to jointly launch an offensive against Baloch separatists as suggested by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. While China has chosen to ignore and not commented on Qureshi’s idea, if pursued, it can only hurt the interests of Pakistan, Balochistan, the CPEC, China and Pakistan-China relations. Any Sino-Pakistan joint operation against Balochis would not make a distinction between separatists and the people of the province. It would be an all-out, indiscriminate military offensive, which would exacerbate the situation. As Pakistan’s most powerful all-weather friend, Beijing may not wish to court the anger of the Balochis and give the separatists more reason to target China. Besides, it would give mischief mongers abroad a handle to further exploit the political unrest in Balochistan. Finally, the Government of India has taken a correct stand in aftermath of the attack, although it has been opposed to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of which the CPEC is a part. India has raised concerns over the CPEC, especially its passing through Gilgit Baltistan. There are also CPEC investments and projects in what India holds to be “occupied territory”. Yet India was quick to condemn the terrorist attack, stating: “There can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism. The perpetrators of this heinous attack should be brought to justice expeditiously.” At the same time, India has denounced Pakistan’s repression of the Baloch people and violation of their human rights. New Delhi has sent out an unambiguous message that whatever its differences with China, reservations about CPEC and inclinations towards the cause of the Baloch people, India is uncompromisingly opposed to terrorism. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Why Baloch separatists are targetting CPEC

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