Balochistan curfew: BYC calls Mashkai lockdown 'worst state oppression'
Synopsis
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee has condemned Pakistani forces' curfew in Mashkai, Balochistan as 'the worst example of state oppression' — with schools shuttered, patients harassed, and Eid celebrations blocked. It is the latest in a series of BYC condemnations spanning Awaran, Khuzdar, and Noshki, signalling a widening crackdown that rights observers say is systematically dismantling civilian life in the province.
Key Takeaways
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) on 30 May condemned the curfew in Mashkai, Awaran district, Balochistan as 'the worst example of state oppression.' Residents were reportedly barred from buying sacrificial animals during Eid , with restrictions extending to religious and social activities.
School closures and hospital harassment of patients and families have been reported under the ongoing curfew.
The prolonged curfew has led to shortages of food and essential goods , according to local residents cited by The Balochistan Post.
Similar curfews have been reported in Zehri (Khuzdar) and Noshki ; in Zehri, market hours were limited to 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and vehicle use was restricted.
The BYC has called on international human rights organisations to intervene immediately.
Human rights organisation Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) on Saturday, 30 May strongly condemned the ongoing curfew imposed by Pakistani forces in the Mashkai region of Balochistan's Awaran district, alleging it forms part of a deliberate effort 'to paralyse public life.' The BYC described the restrictions as 'the worst example of state oppression,' calling for immediate international intervention.
Curfew's Impact on Daily Life
According to the BYC, the restrictions have confined residents to their homes, severely curtailing freedom of movement and causing widespread hardship. The rights body noted that even during Eid, residents of Mashkai were reportedly barred from purchasing sacrificial animals — a restriction the committee said extended beyond daily life into religious and social activities.
'Measures of this nature are continuously plunging the public into a state of fear and uncertainty,' the BYC stated. Local residents, citing reports from The Balochistan Post, said the prolonged curfew has also triggered shortages of food and essential goods in the region.
Schools Shut, Patients Harassed
The BYC flagged the denial of access to basic services — including health and education — as a serious human rights violation. School closures are disrupting students' education, while patients and their families at hospitals are reportedly facing repeated harassment from security forces.
'Patients are suffering from both physical pain and mental stress,' the committee noted, adding that the cumulative effect of these restrictions amounts to a systematic undermining of civilian life.
Pattern of Restrictions Across Balochistan
The developments in Mashkai are not isolated. The BYC last week also criticised a curfew imposed in the Zehri region of Khuzdar district, describing it as an 'excessive exercise of state power.' In Zehri, market hours were reportedly restricted to 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and residents were warned against using motorbikes and cars.
Similar restrictions and lockdown measures have been reported in recent months across other parts of Balochistan, including Noshki, where residents cited disruptions to movement, trade, and healthcare access. This is at least the third such incident of large-scale curfew-related condemnation by the BYC in recent weeks, pointing to a broader and escalating pattern, according to the rights body.
BYC Calls for International Action
The BYC has urged international human rights organisations to take immediate notice of the situation in Mashkai and other affected areas of Balochistan. It called on these bodies to 'raise their voices for the protection of the public's fundamental human rights' and play an effective role in opposing such measures.
As of the time of reporting, the Pakistani government had not issued a public response to the BYC's allegations. The situation in Balochistan continues to draw scrutiny from rights observers, with the full humanitarian impact of the ongoing restrictions yet to be independently verified.
Point of View
Zehri, Noshki — and that rhythm itself is the story. What is being described is not a localised security measure but a rolling pattern of civilian containment across Balochistan's districts. The denial of Eid rituals and the harassment of hospital patients are not incidental — they are the details that transform a security operation into a humanitarian concern. International human rights bodies have so far remained largely silent, and that silence is what Islamabad is counting on. Without independent verification on the ground, the full scale of the impact remains unconfirmed — but the consistency of the BYC's documented accounts across multiple districts makes dismissal increasingly difficult.
NationPress
17 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Balochistan curfew condemned by the BYC?
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) condemned an ongoing curfew imposed by Pakistani forces in the Mashkai region of Awaran district, Balochistan. The rights body alleges the restrictions are part of a broader effort to paralyse public life, denying residents access to food, healthcare, education, and even Eid celebrations.
What impact has the Mashkai curfew had on residents?
According to the BYC, the curfew has confined people to their homes, caused food and essential goods shortages, shut schools, and led to harassment of patients and their families at hospitals. Residents were also reportedly prevented from buying sacrificial animals during Eid.
Is Mashkai the only area affected by curfews in Balochistan?
No. Similar restrictions have been reported in Zehri (Khuzdar district) and Noshki in recent months. In Zehri, market hours were limited to one hour daily and residents were warned against using vehicles, which the BYC described as an 'excessive exercise of state power.'
What has the BYC demanded in response to the curfew?
The BYC has called on international human rights organisations to immediately take notice of the situation, raise their voices for the protection of civilians' fundamental rights, and actively oppose such measures imposed by Pakistani forces in Balochistan.
Has the Pakistani government responded to the BYC's allegations?
As of the time of reporting, the Pakistani government had not issued a public response to the BYC's allegations regarding the curfew in Mashkai or other affected areas of Balochistan.
