On 17 September 2025, at around 8:00 PM, Pakistani military forces carried out a devastating air and drone strike on civilian homes in the Dhaak areaof Zehri in Khuzdar district. The aerial bombardment targeted residential areas in Zehri, Terasani Qazbi, killing three civilians; including two women and injuring five others, among them a 4-year-old child.
Confirmed Victims
Killed:
- Bibi Amina, wife of Sanaullah – 40 years old
- Lal Bibi, wife of Ali Akbar – 41 years old
- Muhammad Hassan, son of Muhammad Yaqoob – 30 years old
Injured:
- Sanaullah, son of Ghulam Rasool – 45 years old
- Ali Akbar, son of Abdul Hakeem
- Abdul Nabi, son of Muhammad Yaqoob – 38 years old
- Umair Ahmed, son of Ghulam Rasool – 4 years old
- Maoula Baksh, son of Mandoo – 65 years old
Violation of International Law
The deliberate use of jet fighters and drones to target civilian populationsb constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law. Zehri has
become a repeated target of such state violence, with at least three aerial attacks reported in the past two months alone.
Information Blackout and Media Censorship
The district of Khuzdar, including the town of Zehri, has been under a complete internet shutdown for months. This deliberate communication
blackout is designed to prevent the outside world from witnessing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Balochistan. The absence of independent media access allows the Pakistani military to carry out atrocities without accountability, effectively silencing survivors and victim families.
State Justifications and Propaganda
In a familiar pattern, Pakistan’s military media wing, ISPR, attempted to justify the killings by labeling the victims as “insurgents.” This narrative is part
of a broader propaganda campaign aimed at covering up systematic, state- sponsored violence against the Baloch civilian population.
Paank strongly condemns this heinous act of aerial violence against unarmed civilians. The targeting of innocent families—including women and children—is a war crime and part of the Pakistani state’s genocidal campaign in Balochistan.
We call on international human rights organizations, UN bodies, and democratic governments to take urgent and meaningful action against these
continuing crimes against humanity.