Eight killed, minor injured in two tribal firing incidents in Balochistan

At least eight people were killed and a minor girl injured in two separate incidents of firing linked to tribal disputes in Balochistan’s Qila Abdullah and Dera Bugti districts on Sunday, police and district administration officials said.

In the first incident, four people were killed and a minor girl injured in a firing over an old enmity in the Badwan area of Qila Abdullah district.

Deputy Commissioner Qila Abdullah Munawar Hussain Magssi confirmed the incident, saying the deceased were identified as Obaidullah, Ziaullah, Eimal and Mohammad Shahid, while the injured girl was identified as Bibi Saniya.

Read: Tribal clash leave seven dead in Barkhan

“All the bodies and the injured were shifted to the Trauma Centre Mazai Adda, where doctors confirmed the deaths,” he said, adding that the injured girl was referred to Quetta for further treatment.

After completion of medico-legal formalities, the bodies were handed over to the heirs.

"Enraged family members later placed the bodies on the Quetta–Chaman National Highway and staged a protest sit-in, bringing traffic to a standstill," he added.

Magssi said the district administration and police reached the site and held negotiations with the protesters.

“After lengthy talks, the protesters agreed to reopen the road for traffic,” he said.

Relatives demanded immediate arrest of the culprits and strict punishment, while officials assured that the case would be investigated on merit.

Local elders and political figures also condemned the incident and called for an immediate resolution of tribal disputes and protection of civilians.

In a separate incident in the Drenjan area of Sui in Dera Bugti district, four people were killed and one injured in a clash between relatives over a monetary dispute.

According to SP Zia Mandokhail, the dispute between members of the Peerozani tribe’s Kohli branch escalated from a financial matter into heavy firing, triggering panic in the area.

He said a father and his son were killed on one side, while two brothers from the opposing side also died in the exchange of fire. The injured person was shifted to a nearby medical facility in critical condition.

Following the firing, law enforcement personnel reached the site and cordoned off the area, while police and Levies launched efforts to arrest those involved. No arrests were confirmed till the time of reporting.

Deputy Commissioner Dera Bugti and SP Zia Mandokhail took notice of the incident and sought a report.