The Baloch National Movement has accused the Pakistani state of intensifying military operations in Balochistan’s coastal Jiwani region, alleging that the campaign is aimed at erasing local communities. 

The organisation claimed that residents have been cut off from essential supplies and subjected to widespread rights violations. Reports indicated that Jiwani town and nearby villages in Gwadar district have been under heavy military restrictions for nearly a week, with strict controls on movement disrupting the supply of food, medicines and other necessities.

The BNM alleged that five people died while in custody during the operation and that more than sixty individuals had been forcibly disappeared. It further claimed that several homes in the Panwan area were demolished and hundreds of families displaced as security forces expanded their presence.

The organisation argued that the intensified deployment is linked to the strategic importance of Jamri town and surrounding areas, which lie close to key maritime routes and are increasingly significant in regional geopolitical competition.

According to the BNM, authorities are attempting to clear local populations from locations considered strategically vital. It alleged that military operations launched in response to attacks by Baloch armed groups have resulted in severe restrictions on civilians, including limits on movement, access to healthcare and other essential services.

The organisation highlighted that similar measures have been implemented in other parts of Balochistan, particularly near major infrastructure projects and economic corridors, where communities have faced arrests, displacement and military operations in recent years.

The BNM urged the United Nations, the European Union, neighbouring countries and international human rights organisations to closely monitor developments in the region. It called on them to press Pakistan to uphold international human rights obligations.

The organisation argued that the situation in Gwadar reflects a broader pattern of militarisation across Balochistan, where local populations are increasingly marginalised in the name of strategic and economic interests.

Independent observers have noted that Gwadar’s strategic location at the mouth of the Arabian Sea has made it a focal point for both Pakistan’s security establishment and international stakeholders. The port city is central to the China‑Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship program under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Analysts argue that the growing militarisation of surrounding areas reflects both Pakistan’s attempt to secure infrastructure projects and the intensifying insurgency by Baloch armed groups who view such developments as threats to local autonomy.

The allegations of displacement and rights violations in Jiwani add to a long list of grievances voiced by Baloch nationalist organisations. Human rights groups have repeatedly documented cases of enforced disappearances, custodial deaths and restrictions on civilian life in the province.

The BNM’s latest statement underscores the deepening crisis in Balochistan, where the clash between strategic imperatives and local demands for rights and recognition continues to escalate.

ANI