The Baloch American Congress president, Tara Chand, has written to US President Donald Trump urging urgent intervention over Pakistani military airstrikes in Balochistan's Surab district that reportedly killed more than 30 civilians, including women and children. The letter, addressed directly to Trump, calls on the United States to investigate whether American-origin military equipment was used in the reported operation.

What the Letter Demands

In his letter, Chand urged the Trump administration to investigate the reported airstrikes and civilian casualties in Surab, and to determine whether US-origin aircraft, weapons, drones, technology, or components were deployed. He also called for appropriate end-use and compliance reviews of relevant US defence equipment supplied to Pakistan.

Chand further pressed American authorities to support an independent investigation and ensure accountability for any violations of US law, arms-transfer conditions, or international humanitarian law. He called for a review of US military assistance to Pakistan if credible evidence establishes that such equipment was misused against Baloch civilians.

'Mr. President, a Baloch child's life is as precious as the life of any child anywhere in the world. We are not asking the United States to prejudge the evidence — we are asking your Administration to establish the truth, protect civilians, and ensure accountability,' the letter stated.

The Surab Incident

The strikes reportedly took place in the early hours of 12 August, when the Pakistani Air Force allegedly carried out bombardment in residential areas in the Gidar area of Surab, killing civilians and causing significant damage to property. The operation occurred under the cover of darkness, according to accounts from local residents cited by rights groups.

Pakistan's military spokesperson body, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), subsequently attributed the casualties to the premature detonation of a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) allegedly linked to a militant group — a claim that several Baloch activists and human rights organisations have strongly rejected as 'false and fabricated.'

Rights Groups Slam Pakistan's Official Account

Baloch human rights defender Mir Yar Baloch posted on X that the Director General of ISPR (DG ISPR) 'has long faced severe criticism over its misleading and fabricated statements and official positions regarding controversial military operations.' He described the Surab incident as 'a planned act of collective punishment,' alleging that the Air Force 'deliberately targeted a civilian population under the cover of darkness, severely affecting an entire village.'

Human rights body Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) alleged that the DG ISPR resorted to 'extreme exaggeration' and made a 'failed attempt to construct a so-called narrative' that contradicted on-ground facts, apparently to conceal what the group characterised as ongoing 'war crimes' in Balochistan. The BVJ stated that 'the reality on the ground can no longer be concealed by distorting the facts.'

Broader Context

The Balochistan conflict has seen recurring allegations of civilian harm during Pakistani military operations, with rights organisations consistently calling for independent international scrutiny. This appeal to Washington adds a diplomatic dimension, raising questions about US arms-transfer oversight and end-use monitoring conditions attached to military aid supplied to Pakistan. Whether the Trump administration responds formally remains to be seen.