A member of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) was shot dead in Quetta on Sunday night, while the father of former Member of the Provincial Assembly Yasmeen Lehri was reportedly abducted by unidentified armed men in Sibi district.
According to reports, Arif Mengal, a BNP-M member, was killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire on him in the Western Bypass area of Quetta. Following the incident, relatives and party supporters staged a sit-in on the Western Bypass, demanding action against those responsible.
Police have not yet released details regarding the motive for the killing or the identity of the attackers.
The incident comes amid longstanding allegations by BNP-M that its members and activists have been targeted in attacks across Balochistan. The party has previously accused Pakistani forces and state-backed militias it describes as “death squads” of involvement in such incidents. Authorities have repeatedly denied allegations of unlawful targeting of political activists.
In a separate incident late on Sunday, Noor Ahmed Lehri, father of National Party leader and former MPA Yasmeen Lehri, was reportedly abducted from his village, Hussainabad, in the Bakhtiarabad area of Sibi district.
According to local reports, unidentified armed men entered the area and took Noor Ahmed Lehri to an undisclosed location. Police officials said they had launched an investigation, although no information regarding the abductors or his whereabouts has been made public.
Meanwhile, BNP-M has also condemned a recent armed attack on Mengal Kot in Wadh. In a statement issued on 12 July, the party alleged that armed militias operating with state backing were responsible for the assault and described it as part of an effort to create instability and fear in the region.
The party claimed local residents resisted the attackers, forcing them to retreat, and reported that several vehicles were damaged during the incident. BNP-M further accused what it described as “death squads” of attempting to undermine the political and social environment in Balochistan.
Pakistani authorities have not publicly responded to the claims.
The killing in Quetta, the reported abduction in Sibi, and the allegations surrounding the Mengal Kot attack come amid ongoing security and political tensions across several parts of Balochistan. Investigations into the incidents are ongoing.