PoJK, Balochistan Unrest Grows; Asim Munir Defends Crackdown, Says ‘We’re Not …’

Pakistan’s military has claimed that the security situation in Balochistan remains normal even as protests continue in both Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Balochistan over alleged military excesses.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest against the Shehbaz Sharif government and the Pakistani Army. Protesters allege that security forces have opened fire on unarmed demonstrators, but the protests have continued despite the crackdown.

Amid the unrest, the Pakistan Army’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), issued a statement defending the situation in Balochistan.

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ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said tribal leaders in Balochistan do not want children from poor families to progress. He added that the military would engage directly with the people of Balochistan rather than tribal leaders.

“If the Constitution and the law are not applied equally to every citizen, it does not mean Pakistan is a harsh state. Are we a harsh state? The answer is no. It also does not mean that the Army is running the country,” he said.

Pakistan Army Responds 

Responding to allegations of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, the ISPR chief claimed a misinformation campaign was being run over the province’s security situation.

He said authorities had received 201 applications related to missing persons, adding that the list included individuals who had been killed during counter-terrorism operations.

“The security forces are targeting terrorists and continuing operations against them,” he said.

Rejecting any possibility of talks with militants, the military spokesperson said there was no room for negotiations.

“Either surrender, or we will fight you,” he said.

Six Abducted Labourers Found Dead

The statement comes days after six labourers who were abducted in Balochistan were found shot dead on Thursday.

Balochistan Home Minister Babar Yousafzai said four of the victims were from Punjab, while two belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Their bullet-riddled bodies were recovered near Nasirabad in Turbat city.

According to the minister, seven labourers working in Kech district had been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen, with one of them shot dead at the scene during the abduction.

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Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported that the workers were abducted on Tuesday while travelling in a vehicle on the Turbat-Mand road in the Kalatak area. No militant group has claimed responsibility for the incident.