A sick child died in Balochistan’s Uthal area after being denied timely medical assistance during prolonged security checks by Pakistani forces, witnesses said on Wednesday.
The incident took place overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday at the Uthal checkpoint, about 100 kilometres north of Karachi, when several passenger buses travelling from Balochistan were stopped for inspection.
Passengers said the checking began around 3 a.m. and continued until morning, adding that the child’s parents pleaded for help after she became critically ill but were not allowed to leave.
“The checking was extremely slow. Near dawn, we learned that a child on one of the buses had fallen critically ill. Her parents pleaded for help, but no one was allowed to move forward,” one passenger said.
Another passenger who was on board the same bus said the child’s life might have been saved if the buses had been allowed to continue or reach a nearby hospital. “We all requested that the bus be allowed to go because the girl had lost consciousness,” he said. “But we were told that no vehicle would move until the checking was completed. After a while, the child stopped breathing.”
Travellers said buses are frequently stopped for hours at the Uthal checkpoint, making it difficult for patients to reach hospitals in emergencies. “This is not the first incident,” one passenger said. “If security checks are necessary, there should be a system that ensures people in medical distress are not trapped.”
Human rights groups have previously criticised prolonged security checks in Balochistan, saying they disrupt civilian movement and make it harder for patients to receive urgent medical care.