The Balochistan government has imposed a district-wide curfew in Noshki following an attack on a Frontier Corps checkpoint, while local sources said Pakistani forces detained a large number of people during house-to-house searches in Gharibabad.
An official notification issued late on Tuesday night by the Balochistan Home Department said the curfew had been imposed across Noshki district from 8:00pm on July 28 in view of the law and order situation.
It added that the curfew would remain in force until 8:00pm on July 31.
The notification said the decision was taken after the District Intelligence Coordination Committee reported an attack on an FC checkpoint on Noshki’s Western Bypass on July 28, followed by an operation by Pakistani forces.
It described the situation across the district as “highly sensitive and uncertain”.
“There will be a complete ban on the movement of people and leaving their homes without permission from the concerned authorities during the curfew,” the notification stated.
The notification warned that strict action would be taken under the relevant laws against anyone found violating the curfew.
It added that public gatherings, processions and rallies would remain prohibited across Noshki district during the curfew period, while non-essential travel within the district would also not be allowed.
It said attacks targeting law enforcement personnel, sensitive government installations and traffic along the N-40 highway had increased, posing risks to travellers, government property and commercial activity.
Intelligence assessments also indicated the possibility of further attacks during August, the notification added.
The restrictions came amid reports of large-scale house-to-house searches and detentions in Noshki’s Gharibabad area and its surroundings.
Local sources said Pakistani forces entered Gharibabad and nearby areas around the time of Asr prayers on Tuesday, detaining several residents, including elderly men and young people.
People arriving at a mosque for congregational prayers were also detained, while the mosque’s imam was released, the sources added.
Those taken from homes and other locations were gathered near the Gharibabad cemetery and later transported in trucks and buses to an undisclosed location, local sources said.
The number and identities of those detained remain unclear. Pakistani authorities had not issued a statement on their whereabouts or legal status at the time of publication.