Washington, August 2026 : The Baloch American Congress has urged US President Donald Trump to intervene urgently following reports of Pakistani military airstrikes in Balochistan’s Surab district that allegedly killed more than 30 civilians, including women and children.
In a letter addressed to Trump, Baloch American Congress President Tara Chand called for an independent examination of the reported attacks and urged the US administration to determine whether American-made aircraft, weapons, drones, technology, components or other military equipment supplied to Pakistan were used during the operation.
“We respectfully urge your administration to investigate these serious allegations and determine whether any US-origin aircraft, weapons, drones, technology, components, or other military equipment were used in the reported operation,” Chand wrote.
Representing the Baloch community in the United States, Chand also asked Washington to conduct appropriate end-use and compliance reviews of US defence equipment provided to Pakistan. He said any credible evidence of the misuse of American-origin military equipment against civilians should trigger a review of relevant US military assistance and defence transfers.
The Baloch American Congress further called for support for an independent investigation into the reported civilian deaths and possible violations of US law, arms-transfer conditions and international humanitarian law. Chand stressed that the organisation was not asking Washington to prejudge the circumstances but to establish the facts and ensure accountability.
“Mr. President, a Baloch child’s life is as precious as the life of any child anywhere in the world,” Chand said in the letter. He added that the Baloch community would be willing to provide available documentation and meet appropriate US officials to discuss the matter.
The reported incident occurred in the early hours of August 12, when Pakistani military aircraft allegedly carried out bombardment in residential areas in the Gidar area of Surab. According to allegations raised by Baloch activists and rights groups, the strikes resulted in civilian deaths and caused extensive damage to homes and other property.
The Pakistani military, however, has disputed the allegations surrounding the incident. Its media and public relations wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), reportedly attributed the casualties to the premature detonation of a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) allegedly associated with a militant organisation.
The explanation has been strongly rejected by several Baloch activists and human rights groups, who have accused the Pakistani military of attempting to deflect responsibility for the reported civilian casualties.
Baloch human rights defender Mir Yar Baloch criticised the ISPR's account, alleging that the military's public statements concerning controversial operations in Balochistan have frequently been misleading. He described the Surab incident as a deliberate act of collective punishment and claimed that local residents witnessed Pakistani aircraft targeting civilian areas during the night.
“The Surab massacre was a planned act of collective punishment,” he alleged, adding that the reported bombardment had severely affected an entire village and left residents facing significant losses.
Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ), a human rights organisation, also criticised the Pakistani military's version of events. The organisation accused the ISPR of using what it described as “extreme exaggeration” and attempting to create a narrative that contradicted the reported situation on the ground.
BVJ alleged that the official account was aimed at concealing alleged abuses by Pakistani security forces in Balochistan. The organisation maintained that the facts surrounding the incident should be established through an independent and transparent investigation rather than through competing official narratives.
The appeal by the Baloch American Congress comes amid continued concerns among Baloch activists over military operations and alleged human rights violations in Balochistan. By specifically seeking scrutiny of US-origin defence equipment, Chand's letter seeks to place the issue within Washington's broader obligations concerning arms transfers, civilian protection and end-use monitoring.
The organisation has urged the Trump administration to establish the facts surrounding the Surab incident, determine responsibility for any violations and take appropriate action if American-supplied military equipment is found to have been used against civilians.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
