The Baloch National Movement (BNM) announced on Tuesday that a strict curfew has been in place for the past two weeks in Mashkay, an area located in Balochistan’s Awaran district. The party described the situation as a “military siege,” with residents confined to their homes and unable to carry out normal daily activities.

According to a statement from the BNM spokesperson, all markets, shops, hospitals, and educational institutions in Mashkay have remained closed during this period. Residents have been prevented from going to fields, orchards, or engaging in other essential activities necessary for their livelihoods and daily life.

The spokesperson explained that Gajjar and other small markets were occasionally allowed to open for only one hour during the day, under the supervision of the military. However, this limited access was only granted to residents of nearby settlements, further restricting the movement of people from distant villages.

People living in remote villages within Mashkay have been particularly affected, the party said. Families in these areas are suffering due to the lack of food supplies and other basic necessities, making daily life extremely difficult under the ongoing restrictions.

The curfew has persisted even during Eid, the spokesperson added. During this religious festival, residents were not permitted to leave their homes to buy Eid-related items or essential goods. As a result, most families were unable to perform sacrifices during Eid al-Adha, a key religious obligation.

BNM further alleged that Pakistani forces were summoning residents from small towns and entire villages to military camps in the mornings. These individuals were detained and held there until evening, where they were subjected to what the party described as “mental and physical torture.”

The party claimed that last year alone, more than 20 people in Mashkay were killed after being summoned to camps or taken into custody. They added that several residents have also been killed this year following detention, highlighting the ongoing violence and repression in the area.

The BNM spokesperson accused security forces of desecrating bodies after detentions and killings. In some cases, bodies had been burned to erase evidence of abuse and to spread fear among the local population, the party said.

The party warned international human rights organizations that the situation in Mashkay and other areas of Balochistan could deteriorate further if the “undeclared curfew” was ignored. They emphasized that urgent attention was needed to prevent a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Finally, the BNM called on Baloch political and human rights activists to raise awareness about the situation in Mashkay. They urged activists to use the hashtag #MashkaiUnderSiege on social media to help draw international attention to the crisis.

Pakistani authorities have yet to issue an immediate public response to the BNM’s allegations regarding the curfew, detentions, torture, or reported killings in Mashkay.