The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has condemned what it says was an alleged mortar attack by Pakistani security forces on a civilian home in Hoshab, Kech, on 29 November, an incident that left several children injured and later claimed the life of one of them.
Local residents reported that multiple mortar shells struck a nearby house, destroying part of the structure and seriously injuring five young girls. The wounded included 11-year-old Dardanag, 12-year-old Tahira, 18-year-old Asiya and 13-year-old Yasmeen. According to witnesses, Yasmeen and Tahira suffered the most severe injuries, including leg and spinal fractures along with shrapnel wounds.
Yasmeen was initially treated at Turbat Teaching Hospital before being referred in critical condition to Karachi. She died on the way, according to local sources.
Following the incident, affected families and residents staged a sit-in protest on the M-8 highway, blocking traffic completely. A large number of community members joined the demonstration, calling the shelling a grave humanitarian tragedy and demanding immediate action against those responsible. Protesters said the injury and death of young girls raises serious questions for state institutions and the government.
In its statement, BYC said the Hoshab incident reflects what it describes as a longstanding pattern of state violence in Balochistan, arguing that civilian populations – particularly women and children – remain vulnerable to shelling, intimidation and collective punishment. The group stated that such recurring events have contributed to fear, instability and psychological trauma in the region.
BYC has urged the United Nations Human Rights Council and international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, to take urgent notice of the incident and the broader situation facing civilians in Balochistan.