Washington, August 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The president of the Baloch American Congress, Tara Chand, has urged US President Donald Trump to intervene over reported Pakistani airstrikes in Balochistan’s Surab district that, according to Baloch activists and rights groups, killed more than 30 civilians, including women and children.
In a letter to Trump, Chand called for an investigation into the reported August 12 strikes and urged the US administration to determine whether any American-origin aircraft, weapons, drones, technology, components or other military equipment were used in the operation.
He also sought end-use and compliance reviews of US defence equipment supplied to Pakistan and called for an independent investigation into the reported civilian deaths and destruction.
Chand urged Washington to support accountability for any violations of US law, arms-transfer conditions or international humanitarian law if credible evidence establishes that American-supplied equipment was misused against Baloch civilians.
“We are not asking the United States to prejudge the evidence—we are asking your Administration to establish the truth, protect civilians, and ensure accountability,” Chand said in the letter.
The reported incident occurred in the early hours of August 12, when the Pakistan Air Force allegedly bombarded residential areas in the Gidar area of Surab. Baloch activists and human rights organisations have accused Pakistani forces of deliberately targeting civilian areas and causing extensive damage to property.
Pakistan’s military public relations wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has rejected the allegations. The ISPR reportedly attributed the incident to the premature detonation of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) allegedly associated with a militant group.
Baloch activists have disputed that account. Human rights defender Mir Yar Baloch accused the Pakistani military of attempting to misrepresent the circumstances surrounding the incident and described the attack as an alleged act of collective punishment.
Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) also rejected the ISPR account, alleging that the military had sought to create a narrative that contradicted the situation on the ground.
The allegations have not been independently verified, while the conflicting accounts underscore the need for an impartial investigation into the incident and the reported civilian casualties.
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