Two elderly Baloch female Sukhtbars were beaten and verbally insulted by military forces stationed at the Milak border terminal in Hirmand County for carrying 1.5 liters of gasoline.
According to Kolbarnews, on Thursday, October 23, 2025, two elderly Baloch women were physically assaulted and insulted by military forces at the Milak border terminal in Hirmand County.
Based on a received video, the military personnel, after spotting a 1.5-liter bottle of gasoline that the women were carrying to sell, attacked them with kicks, harsh treatment, and humiliating language.
These two women, who suffer from severe poverty and unemployment in border areas, were trying to earn a small income by selling a small amount of fuel to cover their daily living expenses.
Local witnesses said that such acts are common at the Milak border area, where military forces repeatedly target poor Baloch Kolbars and Sukhtbars with violence and humiliation for transporting small quantities of fuel while the main fuel smuggling routes are controlled by mafias affiliated with military and security institutions.
This violent act against defenseless citizens, especially elderly women, represents a clear violation of the Charter of Citizens’ Rights and basic human principles. The right to human dignity must be upheld even in cases of minor offenses. Such actions reflect the double standard governing the borders where poverty is treated as a crime, but corruption and organized smuggling go unpunished.
Sukhtbari is considered one of the unconventional and dangerous jobs that many Baloch people in Balochistan have been forced to turn to due to the lack of suitable and stable employment. Accidents, vehicle overturns, and direct gunfire from military and security forces are among the dangers that threaten the lives of these Sukhtbars. According to reports from Baloch activists, in the year 2024, at least 375 Baloch Sukhtbars have been injured or lost their lives due to shootings by military forces, traffic accidents, and vehicle fires. Of this number, 240 Sukhtbars were killed and 135 were injured, representing a 55% increase in the number of killed and injured Sukhtbars compared to the year 2023.
