Pakistan: Baloch women decry rocket attack on civilian home in Balochistan

Quetta, May 14 (IANS) The Baloch Women Forum (BWF) on Wednesday strongly condemned a rocket attack on the residence of a civilian, Jangiyan Baloch, in the Balicha area of Tump Tehsil in Balochistan. The forum alleged that locally active armed groups, termed as "death squads", allegedly operating under the payroll of law enforcement agencies of Pakistan, carried out the attack a few days ago, injuring three members of Jangiyan Baloch’s family — his son Nawaz Jangiyan, daughter-in-law Ayesha Mulla Raza, and wife Modho Naik Bakht.

The forum stated that the death squad members are given free rein to distort the societal stability of the Baloch and are involved in every sort of evil, including targetted killings, attacks, and enforced disappearances of civilians in the province of Balochistan.

"We, the BWF, denounce the ugly attack of rocket launchers on the home of a civilian, Jangiyan Baloch, in district Kech's Balicha in the strongest possible terms and deem it an attack on the societal order and organisation of the Baloch," said the statement.

"The attackers are commonly and openly functioning under the payroll of the law enforcement agencies who are given a free hand to distort the societal stability of the Baloch. We want to clarify it that Tump region has been one of the most affected areas where the death squad members are given a free hand to involve themselves in every sort of evil, including targetted killings, attacks and enforced disappearances of the civilians," the statement added.

Highlighting the atrocities, the forum stated that this group also terms themselves the "laws and the violators" openly and are held accountable for nothing because they have the backing of law enforcement agencies. "It has given birth to the state of lawlessness in the region, infringing the fundamental rights of the citizens," read a statement issued by the forum.

Condemning the act, BWF demanded an end to such illegal privileges of the local militias or the "death squads", permanent culmination of human rights violations in Tump in particular, Balochistan in general, an impartial inquiry on the case of attack on Jangiyan's home and accountability for the culprits as per law, and medical and financial assistance to the grieving family.

--IANS

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