Fear grips Balochistan after Pakistani army launches unannounced missile strikes

Quetta, Aug 22 (IANS) A leading human rights organisation on Friday expressed concern after the Pakistani Navy recently carried out unannounced missile strikes in the mountainous regions of Omara, Kolwah, and Awaran in Balochistan, sparking fear and anxiety among local communities.

Citing testimonies and video evidence that emerged on August 17, Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, stated that multiple missiles were launched from the Jinnah Naval Base in Ormara on July 11, directed toward the rugged mountain ranges of central Balochistan.

According to the rights body, the areas where the missiles struck are not uninhabited, and families relied on mountain pastures for livestock grazing, which form the backbone of the local economy.

“Our entire life is tied to the mountains. Our livestock are the backbone of our economy. Such unannounced missile tests are a threat to our lives and property.” Paank quoted one of the residents as saying.

The rights body asserted that such unannounced strikes have traumatized local populations and created uncertainty about the safety of their environment. The fallout of missile debris in areas close to human settlements and grazing lands, it said, represents a serious human rights concern.

Condemning the incident, the rights body stated that it reflected a broader pattern in which Balochistan has repeatedly been used as a testing ground for Pakistan’s missile program. It highlighted that in 2005, Pakistan tested its first cruise missile, the Hatf-7 Babur, in Balochistan, which is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads. Additionally, on May 4, 2025, Pakistan tested the Abdali missile in Balochistan, reportedly with a range of 450 km.

“The unannounced nature of these missile strikes, carried out without warning to the civilian population, represents a serious violation of human rights. Local communities have the right to safety and security, yet their lives, livelihoods, and environment continue to be endangered by repeated military activities in these regions,” Paank emphasised.

“The July 11 missile strikes in Ormara, Kolwah, and Awaran illustrate a continued pattern in which civilian populations in Balochistan bear the direct impact of military testing activities. With debris falling near inhabited areas and grazing lands, communities remain under constant fear, and their survival tied to fragile mountain ecosystems is increasingly at risk,” it added.

Paank called for urgent international scrutiny of these actions by Pakistan, which are contrary to human rights norms and pose a wider threat to peace and stability.

--IANS

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