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Two men have been shot dead in separate attacks allegedly carried out by pro-government militias in Balochistan’s Kech district, local sources claim.
Gunmen opened fire in the town of Mand on Saturday, killing a man identified as Mulla Bahram. Hours earlier, another victim — Izhar, the son of Mujeeb — was shot inside his shop in the nearby Soro area. The young shopkeeper later died from his injuries.
Witnesses told reporters that both killings were the work of armed groups known locally as “death squads” — militias accused of operating with the backing of Pakistan’s military.
These shadowy outfits are blamed for a litany of abuses across the province, including kidnappings, enforced disappearances, extortion and the targeted killings of students, political activists and opponents. Rights observers say they are effectively given a free hand in return for their services to the state.
The killings have also reignited anger over Mand’s lack of basic healthcare. Locals say the town has no hospital, forcing critically injured patients to travel more than 110 kilometres to Turbat on poor roads. Residents believe Izhar might have survived if medical care had been available closer to home.
