Pakistan's deployment of artillery and air power against its own citizens in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — who are holding protests against the current government — is a sign that Islamabad considers residents of these regions as 'enemies' and that the state is steadily losing control, according to a detailed report published by The North Lines.

State Force Against Civilian Protesters

The report quotes Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir as having 'put up a brave face and mouthed blusters against Baloch dissenters,' while authorising the use of heavy military hardware against civilians engaged in protest. The analysis draws from this to identify two concurrent realities: that residents of these provinces are being treated as adversaries by their own state, and that Islamabad is struggling to maintain administrative and security control.

According to the report, thousands of Baloch people have been killed in what it describes as extrajudicial operations, with numbers cross-referenced against figures cited by Pakistan's Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DGISPR) on 'terrorist' casualties. Authorities have also reportedly arrested peaceful demonstrators seeking accountability for alleged random killings.

Scale of the Security Crisis

Pakistan's security situation in these two provinces has deteriorated significantly in 2026. According to South Asia Terrorism Portal data cited in the report, more than 600 civilians and over 1,000 Pakistani security personnel have been killed in terrorist-related incidents this year alone. The report notes that Pakistan Army units reportedly fear large-scale troop movements in several parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan — a tactical vulnerability that analysts say underscores the gravity of the situation.

'Additional security forces have been inducted as if powers that be are aware that it is a matter of time when peaceful protests can transform into an armed resistance,' the report stated. 'Everyday happenings continue to embarrass the army who call shots in Pakistan.'

Children Killed in Panjgur — BYC Condemns Bombing

On Wednesday, 8 October 2026, human rights organisation Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) condemned what it described as a bombing by Pakistani forces in Panjgur district of Balochistan. The BYC called it another 'horrific example of the ongoing collective punishment and state terrorism against civilians across the province.'

The statement followed a reported incident on Tuesday, in which two children were killed and three others were injured in an explosion in Gowargo tehsil of Panjgur. Local residents alleged that explosives mounted on a quadcopter operated by Pakistani forces caused the blast, though this has not been independently verified.

Unrest Spreads to Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir

The civil unrest is not confined to Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan has also reportedly been facing civil disobedience in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). In recent months, communications were reportedly suspended in PoJK, and videos purportedly showing Pakistani security personnel firing on civilians in Rawalakot and other areas circulated widely on social media.

International Scrutiny Mounts

Pakistan has faced growing criticism over its actions at international forums, including the United Nations headquarters in Geneva and New York, according to the report. The pattern of using military force against protesting populations, extrajudicial killings, and communications blackouts has drawn sustained attention from human rights bodies, though Islamabad has consistently contested allegations of systematic abuse.

With the security and political situation in Pakistan's western and northwestern provinces continuing to deteriorate, the trajectory of these developments — and whether diplomatic pressure translates into any policy shift in Islamabad — will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.