4 killed in Balochistan polling station attack

India on Thursday highlighted a high-level diplomatic push to protect Indian interests, emphasising the twin priorities of citizen safety and the stability of energy supply chains.

India on Thursday rejected Pakistan's allegations of aggravating skirmishes with Afghanistan, calling them "baseless" and accusing Pakistan of blaming others for its own misdeeds.

Residents in Balochistan's Zehri and Surab regions are facing a severe humanitarian crisis due to a four-day curfew and military operations. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee reported acute food shortages, blocked healthcare access, and alleged house raids by security forces, urging international bodies to investigate these fundamental rights violations.

Indian students studying in Iran have begun making arrangements to leave the country amid growing safety concerns, with the first batch expected to depart for the Armenia border on Thursday as evacuation plans gradually take shape.

A curfew imposed in the Zehri area of Balochistan's Khuzdar district entered its fourth consecutive day, severely disrupting daily life, mobility and economic activity in the region. Residents said the continued restrictions have forced markets, transport services and commercial centres to remain closed, effectively paralysing normal activity.

Amid the developing security situation in West Asia, the Indian Embassy in Qatar provided an update, where it mentioned that about 1000 Indian passengers have travelled back to New Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi. It further said that temporary transit visas of 96 hours' validity had been issued for Indian nationals through the Salwa border to Saudi Arabia and underlined that the Embassy's 24/7 control room remains functional.

According to Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, President of the All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) J-K, nearly all students from Urmia University of Medical Sciences are planning to return. A group of over 30 students has already booked tickets and is expected to reach New Delhi on March 15 via Dubai, while others are scheduled to arrive on March 16.

The exhibition displayed a series of photographs and visual documentation portraying the hardships faced by religious and ethnic minorities, including Hindus, Christians, Sindhis, and Balochs, it also highlighted the constant oppression in Balochistan through enforced disappearances of young individuals, including both men and women, as well as forced conversions of minorities in Pakistan and arrests of several political leaders including Dr Mahrang Baloch. The exhibition aimed to draw international attention to what they described as systemic discrimination and political repression affecting these communities. It also displayed photographs of the grim condition of minorities in Bangladesh,

Pakistani security forces reportedly conducted raids across Balochistan's Surab, Gwadar, and Turbat districts, leading to allegations of property damage and civilian mistreatment. Locals and the Baloch Yakjehti Committee claimed authorities destroyed homes and fuel stocks, severely impacting livelihoods during Ramadan, while night raids in Turbat sparked further human rights concerns.

India's UN Ambassador, Harish Parvathaneni, has condemned Pakistan's "hypocritical" airstrikes in Afghanistan during Ramadan, which killed 185 civilians. Speaking at the UNSC, he denounced the strikes as flagrant violations of sovereignty and international law, while also slamming "trade and transit terrorism" targeting the landlocked nation.