Pakistan: Residents protest against military encroachment in Mand

Residents of Balochistan’s Mand town on Tuesday protested against the forced occupation of their land by Pakistani military forces.

The protesters included women, children and elderly people who are demanding the immediate vacation of their ancestral lands under the control of Pakistani military forces due to “security purposes”, reports The Balochistan Post.

Residents highlighted that the Frontier Corps (FC) has converted their homes into permanent military base camps in the Mehar area of ​​Mand. The security forces had captured people’s property five years ago.

According to The Balochistan Post, the FC issued an ultimatum to expand its military occupation by increasing the number of camps in the area. This led residents to protest until the restitution of confiscated property. Residents claimed that the ongoing military encroachment was against their human rights and culture.

Women protesters in Mehar area refused to stop the demonstration until the restoration of their land. They appealed to local authorities to vacate their land but security forces continued encroachment again.

Balochistan Post reported that the Baloch Women’s Forum, an advocacy group, condemned the military encroachment and said, “At the Baloch Women’s Forum, we express concern over the excessive use of force by the Frontier Corps (FC) on the residents of Maher (Mand). Are. ), harassing them through various devices like seizing their houses at gunpoint, flying drone cameras over their houses, firing indiscriminately at their houses and using torch lights at midnight.

Security forces used various violent measures to quell the protests. The protestor said angrily, ‘If there is any loss to the families here, the responsibility will be on the local administration.’

According to The Balochistan Post, security forces have captured ancestral homes as well as educational institutions. “Our children are afraid to go to school and female teachers feel threatened,” said a resident.

Continuous occupation of lands, drone surveillance and armed patrolling have created fear and terror in the minds of Baloch residents.