Gwadar: At least 13 Baloch labourers were reportedly killed and many others wounded after personnel of the Pakistan Coast Guard allegedly opened fire in the Kuntani area of Jiwani in Gwadar district on Wednesday, residents and eyewitnesses said.
The incident triggered widespread outrage among Baloch political parties, student groups and rights organisations, which condemned the alleged attack as another example of state repression in Balochistan, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
Witnesses said the firing erupted while labourers were carrying out routine work along the coastal belt. Panic spread across the area as gunfire forced workers and locals to flee for safety, as reported by ANI.
Pakistani authorities had not issued an official response by the time of reporting though local sources blamed the Pakistan Coast Guard for the shooting. According to reports, several injured workers were rushed to nearby hospitals, where some were said to be in critical condition.
Emergency measures were reportedly imposed in medical facilities amid fears that the number of casualties could increase. Baloch organisations reacted strongly to the incident, describing it as part of a broader campaign of militarisation and economic suppression in the region.
Sholan Baloch, spokesperson for the Baloch Students Organisation Azad, labelled the incident the “Kuntani massacre,” saying labourers searching for work and food had been deliberately targeted.
The Baloch Women Forum (BWF) claimed that dozens of people may have been killed and criticised the lack of emergency services in the area. The organisation said residents were forced to transport injured victims in private vehicles and on their shoulders due to the absence of ambulances.
Dr Shalee Baloch, chief organiser of the BWF, accused the Pakistani state of turning Gwadar into a heavily militarised zone designed to protect strategic and economic interests rather than local communities, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post.
While Gwadar is promoted internationally as a major development hub, indigenous Baloch residents continue to face poverty, restrictions, enforced disappearances and violence, she claimed.
The incident was also condemned by political groups, including the Balochistan National Party, National Party and Haq Do Tehreek Balochistan. They demanded legal action against those responsible, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
The incident may lead to escalation in violence in the restive Balochistan province that has witnessed skirmishes between the Pakistani armed forces and Baloch groups.
