Islamabad, August 11 (HS): In a move drawing criticism from rights advocates, police in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province have registered a criminal case against the relatives of a man allegedly killed in Frontier Corps (FC) firing, along with several other demonstrators, for protesting the incident.

The case stems from a July 18 protest in Chagai district, where family members of Shah Dar, son of Amanullah, staged a sit‑in at Bab Umar Chowk. The demonstrators placed Dar’s body on the road, blocking traffic to demand justice for what they claim was an unprovoked FC shooting in Nokundi that killed the funeral vehicle driver.

Instead of action against the FC personnel allegedly involved, police charged protesters with attacking security forces and disrupting law and order. Eyewitnesses allege that on the day of the killing, FC troops took custody of the body and barred the family from approaching it, sparking the street protest.

Videos circulating on social media purportedly show security forces firing warning shots into the air during the demonstration, further heightening tensions.

The Balochistan Post reported that the FIR names multiple relatives of the victim, marking an escalation in an already volatile situation in the province, where allegations of excessive force and impunity by security forces frequently fuel public anger.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar