Shooting in Mastung leaves 14 injured

QUETTA:

At least 14 people were injured in a shooting in the Mastung district of Balochistan on Saturday. The incident occurred near Nawab Hotel, where supporters of the Baloch Yekjehti Committee (BYC) clashed with security forces.

Supporters of the BYC accused security forces of opening fire on their convoy.

In response to the Mastung incident, protesters blocked the main Quetta-Karachi highway, demanding justice. Authorities in Mastung halted the BYC convoy, leading to clashes when participants attempted to bypass barriers. Deputy Commissioner Mastung Syed Samiullah Agha reported that three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were injured by stone-throwing, and security forces fired warning shots to disperse the crowd. Agha denied reports of direct firing, noting that minor injuries were sustained during a baton charge.

However, Shahid Rind, the spokesman for the Balochistan government, contradicted these reports. He announced that an inquiry would be conducted to investigate the incident and emphasIsed the government's willingness to seek an amicable resolution to provincial issues. "We accept the right of protest by BYC," Rind stated, he asserted that it was the government's responsibility to determine appropriate venues for protests.