Baloch leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Baloch National Movement (BNM) Chairman Dr. Naseem Baloch have strongly condemned the tragic bomb blast in Mastung on Friday that killed 8, including 5 schoolchildren, and wounded 29. In separate statements, both leaders expressed deep sorrow and outrage, linking the incident to the ongoing violence and repression faced by the Baloch people.
Dr. Mahrang Baloch, reacting to the incident, expressed her condolences to the families of the victims. She described the attack as deeply distressing, stating, “The state and its death squads have mercilessly turned Balochistan into a killing ground.”
The BYC leader also pointed out that the Mastung blast, which occurred near a school, was part of a broader pattern of violence, particularly targeting the most vulnerable members of society, including children. In her statement, Dr. Mahrang also highlighted the forced disappearance of 10 Baloch students from Islamabad on Thursday night, underscoring the increasing frequency of such incidents.
She said that the simultaneous ‘abduction’ of ten Baloch students and a deadly explosion in Mastung, within the span of 24 hours, highlights the intensity of the crisis that has enveloped Balochistan. She said that since last month, several dozen innocents have fallen victim to the “barbaric” practice of enforced disappearances.
Dr. Naseem Baloch, Chairman of BNM, echoed similar sentiments, condemning the Mastung attack and likening it to the Peshawar Army Public School massacre, where the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan stormed an army school and killed 149 individuals, including 134 students. He accused the state of using religious extremists to terrorize the Baloch population and distract from its oppressive policies in Balochistan. “This is yet another attempt by the Pakistani state to divert attention from its brutality in Balochistan,” he said, adding that the Baloch people were fully aware of these tactics.
Both leaders emphasized that these events reflect the larger human rights violations and the systematic persecution of the Baloch community. Dr. Mahrang Baloch described the situation as a manifestation of the state’s “systematic genocide,” while Dr. Naseem vowed that the Baloch struggle for freedom would continue unabated, despite the ongoing violence and repression.