A newborn died from cold in Balochistan’s Kohlu after a pregnant woman was forced to give birth on the roadside during an extended customs inspection. The family said the woman was in critical condition and being rushed to the hospital when the incident occurred.
According to local sources, customs officials at the Rakhni checkpoint stopped the passenger vehicle, ignoring requests from the woman’s family to allow them to continue.
They alleged the woman was forced off the vehicle for an hours-long inspection, ultimately giving birth without medical assistance. Witnesses said the baby did not survive the severe cold on the roadside.
Local residents expressed anger and sorrow, accusing customs personnel of acting “disrespectfully” by holding passengers unnecessarily. They called for an investigation and disciplinary action against the officials involved.
It is important to note that transporters in Balochistan have previously raised concerns about lengthy waits at security checkpoints, emphasizing the impact of these delays on medical emergencies and other urgent cases.
In a recent provincial assembly session, Former Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Khan Raisani highlighted the issue, pointing to the Lak Pass checkpoint on the Quetta-Mastung highway, where vehicles are routinely stopped for hours. “Even government officials are subjected to questioning about their destinations,” he said, calling for the immediate removal of Frontier Corps (FC) checkpoints.
Leader of the Opposition Younas Zehri also criticized the numerous checkpoints, claiming journeys from Quetta to Karachi are often extended by five to eight hours. He said the one-hour stretch from Quetta to Mastung can take over four hours due to these delays.
No statement from customs authorities was immediately available regarding the death of the newborn in Kohlu.