Tara Chand Baloch, President of the Baloch American Congress (BAC), on 22 October 2026 issued an urgent appeal to the international community to intervene and halt the alleged forced displacement of Baloch families from the Kalat district of Balochistan, Pakistan. The appeal follows reports that the Balochistan government has ordered approximately 5,000 families — an estimated 30,000 people — to vacate their homes in the Shoor Paarod region by 30 October, with authorities warning that those who refuse will be removed by force.

The Evacuation Order

The relocation plan was reportedly approved by Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. Families living in the mountainous Shoor Paarod area have been directed to move to designated camps. Additional Chief Secretary for Home Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat, speaking at a press conference in Quetta on Tuesday, confirmed the directive, stating: 'If they do not vacate the area, the forces will remove them by force.' Officials have said the area constitutes government land and that evacuation is necessary due to the presence of armed fighters, and that an operation is already being conducted in Shoor Paarod.

What Tara Chand Baloch Said

Posting on X, Tara Chand Baloch described the situation as alarming, writing: 'Disturbing reports are emerging from the Kalat Shor Parod region of Balochistan, where the Pakistani military and provincial authorities are allegedly forcing innocent Baloch families to abandon their ancestral homes and villages.' He noted that many of these families have lived on their land for generations — some for hundreds of years — and that women, children, and elderly people reportedly face displacement under the banner of 'so-called peace and security operations.'

'Their homes, schools, hospitals, livelihoods, and ancestral lands are reportedly under threat. Families who have committed no crime should not be punished, uprooted, or deprived of their fundamental human rights,' he added. Tara Chand further appealed to the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other humanitarian organisations to investigate, intervene through appropriate channels, and 'demand an immediate end to any unlawful forced displacement, collective punishment, and destruction of civilian property.'

Scale of Impact and Human Cost

According to reports citing The Balochistan Post, as many as 30,000 residents stand to be displaced by the operation. The affected communities are described as multi-generational settlers whose social infrastructure — schools, hospitals, livelihoods — is rooted in the Shoor Paarod area. Activists argue that framing the evacuation as a security measure does not justify the collective uprooting of civilian populations who have not been individually charged with any offence.

Broader Context

This comes amid a long-running insurgency in Balochistan, where Pakistani security forces and Baloch separatist groups have clashed for decades. The province has a history of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial actions, and allegations of collective punishment, all extensively documented by international rights bodies. Critics argue that large-scale civilian relocations linked to counterinsurgency operations raise serious questions under international humanitarian law. Notably, this is not the first time Shoor Paarod has been cited in reports of security-linked displacement.

As the 30 October deadline approaches, international rights organisations are yet to issue formal statements on the current evacuation order. Whether the United Nations or major human rights bodies respond to Tara Chand Baloch's appeal will likely determine the degree of international scrutiny Pakistan faces in the coming weeks.