A leading Baloch student organisation, Baloch Students Organization Azad (BSO-Azad), has expressed grave concern over the deaths of nearly a dozen labourers in the Kuntani area of Gwadar district, Balochistan, who were reportedly searching for food and work when they were killed. The group has described the incident as an act of "extreme state barbarism" carried out by Pakistani forces.

What BSO-Azad Alleged

BSO-Azad characterised the killings as a "massacre" and said it reflected a broader pattern of what the organisation termed "Baloch genocide." The group stated that Baloch civilians living under what it called "Pakistani occupation" have been systematically deprived of basic economic rights and are compelled to work under extremely harsh conditions.

"The Baloch civilians living under Pakistani occupation have been deprived of their basic economic rights; they are forced to work in very hard conditions. Previously, the Baloch labourers have been targeted; their vehicles, shops and small businesses have been destroyed while people are being beaten and humiliated on a daily basis," the organisation said in a statement.

Alleged Role of Security Forces

According to BSO-Azad, government officials and personnel from the Pakistani Coast Guard, Frontier Corps, Army, Police, and other security forces are allegedly engaged in extorting bribes from poor drivers and shopkeepers in the area. The organisation further alleged that despite collecting fixed bribe amounts, security personnel continue to beat and humiliate labourers while burning their vehicles and shops — actions the group termed "colonial oppression of the Pakistani state on the Baloch nation."

"The Kuntani massacre is part of broader events of Baloch genocide. The Pakistani occupation state is involved in shedding the blood of innocent Baloch civilians on a daily basis. Every aspect of life in Balochistan has been destroyed, the economic rights have been snatched, and people have been forced to uproot, leading to an economic crisis among the Baloch population," BSO-Azad added.

Pattern of Violence — A Recurring Concern

BSO-Azad noted that a similar incident occurred a few months ago in the Jewani area of Gwadar, where two labourers lost their lives. The organisation has urged the people of Balochistan, human rights organisations, and other concerned individuals to resist, protest, and highlight what it is calling the "Kuntani massacre."

Separate Drone Attack in Gwadar

In a separate incident in Gwadar, two individuals identified as Sadiq and Majid were reportedly injured in a drone attack near Hotani Bazaar in the Dasht Shuleeg area, according to local media reports. The victims were rushed for medical treatment, though no immediate information about their conditions was released, according to The Balochistan Post. Reports indicate that drone aircraft had been flying continuously over Dasht Shuleeg and nearby areas since Sunday morning before the attack took place.

The Pakistani government has not issued an official response to BSO-Azad's allegations. With international attention on Balochistan's human rights situation intensifying, the Kuntani incident is likely to draw further scrutiny from rights bodies in the days ahead.