Panjgur Deputy Commissioner Killed in Highway Ambush; Baloch Struggle Intensifies

Panjgur Deputy Commissioner Zakir Hussain Baloch was killed in a firing incident on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway. The attack also injured Panjgur Municipal Committee chairman Abdul Malik Baloch and two officials. The Baloch Yakhjeti Committee continues protests against alleged forced disappearances in Balochistan.

Panjgur Deputy Commissioner Zakir Hussain Baloch was killed, and four others were injured in a firing incident on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway near Mastung on Monday, official sources informed as reported by Dawn. The attack occurred when the DC, along with Panjgur Municipal Committee chairman Abdul Malik Baloch, was traveling to Quetta and unknown assailants opened fire at their vehicle near Khadkocha, Mastung.

According to the authorities, Baloch succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at Shaheed Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Memorial Hospital in Mastung. Hospital's chief executive Dr. Saeed Ahmed confirmed that Baloch suffered bullet injuries to the chest and stomach, leading to internal bleeding and subsequent death.

Dawn also reported that the Panjgur Municipal Committee chairman received multiple bullet injuries and was shifted to Quetta for advanced treatment. He is the younger brother of National Party Balochistan's chapter president Rehmat Baloch. Additionally, two officials were in critically injured condition and were moved to the same hospital in Mastung for treatment.

Security officials disclosed that at least 15 armed men had blocked the road and were scrutinizing vehicles passing through the area. They attempted to stop the DC's vehicle and opened fire when it tried to speed away, according to Dawn. Meanwhile, various parts of Balochistan saw protest gatherings organized by the Baloch Yakhjeti Committee against alleged forced disappearances. Leading activist Mahrang Baloch stated that the struggle against oppression would continue.

'We have been saying since the beginning that this is a people's movement, supported and driven by the populace. However, the state remains in denial, sometimes attempting to suppress it with force and other times by creating false narratives,' she said. On Monday, the Baloch Yakhjeti Committee organized a significant public gathering in Quetta to honor the martyrs of the Baloch National gathering. The event started with the Baloch National Anthem, followed by the National Oath. BYC leaders articulated the struggles, state repression, and achievements of the Baloch National Gathering, noting that this gathering was a crucial milestone for the Baloch national movement and would substantially contribute to Baloch national unity.

(With inputs from agencies.)