Two people, a boat captain and his assistant, were killed and several others injured after armed men opened fire on an oil-carrying boat off Jiwani in Balochistan’s Gwadar district, prompting protests by local boat operators.
According to local sources, the shooting took place in the Chil Hoor area, where armed men allegedly belonging to an extortion network targeted a local boat transporting oil.
The incident sparked protests by boat operators, who demanded a transparent investigation into the killings, action against those responsible and protection for local residents and maritime workers.
Local sources have previously alleged that armed groups backed by the Pakistan Coast Guards and Pakistani military have been collecting large payments from oil-carrying boats for each trip through Kuntani, Chil Hoor and other coastal areas.
Several incidents involving violence against boat crews, including beatings, shootings and damage to vessels over alleged non-payment, have also been reported.
In May, several Baloch labourers were reportedly killed and others injured when Pakistan Coast Guards personnel allegedly opened fire on workers in Jiwani’s Kuntani area, drawing condemnation from Baloch political and human rights organisations.
Read More | Several Baloch Labourers Killed in Alleged Coast Guard Firing in Jiwani’s Kuntani Area
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a fishing boat carrying around eight people sank near Ganz in the Pishukan area of Gwadar.
According to reports, the body of one person, identified as Lal Pishukani, has been recovered, while the remaining passengers are still missing. The missing individuals are also reportedly residents of Pishukan.
The shooting comes three days after the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for a maritime attack on two Pakistan Coast Guards boats off Jiwani on Sunday.
The group said its Hammal Maritime Defence Force (HMDF) had simultaneously targeted the two vessels, claiming that 13 Coast Guards personnel were killed. Pakistani authorities have not confirmed the casualties.
Following the attack, local sources reported increased movement by Pakistani forces in Jiwani, while fishermen were recalled from the sea and instructed not to return until further notice.
Jiwani has previously witnessed military operations, reported disappearances and restrictions on civilian movement following attacks on Pakistani forces.
In July, following a BLA attack on a Pakistan Coast Guards camp in Panwan, the bodies of five men were recovered from Jiwani and surrounding areas.
Pakistani military officials said the men were armed fighters killed during a subsequent operation, but families and human rights organisations disputed the account, identifying them as individuals who had previously been forcibly disappeared.
Read More | Four Previously Disappeared Men, Including School Principal, Found Dead After Jiwani Military Operation
The July attack was also followed by extensive military operations and restrictions on civilian movement.
Jiwani remained cut off from other areas for eight consecutive days, while local residents reported that more than 50 people had been forcibly disappeared in subsequent operations.