Long-Running Curfew in Balochistan Raises Concerns Over Public Hardship

Balochistan [Pakistan] : A curfew imposed in Nushki on February 6 has already entered its second week, with residents stating that officials have made the lifting of restrictions conditional on mounting a protest in support of the state.

Some news of Balochistan

According to The Balochistan Post, security authorities told residents that normalcy would not return unless citizens publicly pledged allegiance by staging a pro-government rally and flying Pakistani flags from their houses and businesses.

The Balochistan Post reports that commercial activity in the city has been severely limited.

Markets and stores have been ordered to close by 6:00 p.m., but key thoroughfares, including highways connecting Nushki to Quetta and nearby districts, remain closed.

According to reports, entry into the city after the evening hours is prohibited, and internal movement is strictly limited during curfew hours.

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Residents reported a large number of security personnel at important crossroads and public locations.

They further said that movement outside of the city has been carefully monitored, with checkpoints put up along routes leading to healthcare facilities.

In one case, a pregnant woman in serious condition was allegedly refused timely access to medical treatment due to transportation limitations.

Local journalists have been pressured to support the official story of recent events, with warnings of severe consequences for noncompliance.

The curfew followed remarks by the proscribed separatist movement Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which claimed to have momentarily taken control of Nushki after coordinated operations as part of the second phase of its self-proclaimed “Operation Herof,” as reported by The Balochistan Post.

The organization claimed to have struck Pakistani military camps and an ISI site, with severe losses among security personnel.

BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch announced the operation’s end on February 6, following which Pakistani soldiers re-entered the city and imposed the ongoing curfew, according to The Balochistan Post.