Haji Naseer Ahmed Mengal, a prominent trader from Wadh town, was shot dead by unknown armed men in the Joe-Nora area of Khuzdar district, Balochistan province, at approximately 4:00 AM UTC on February 2, 2026. The attackers fled the scene after the shooting, according to local sources reporting the incident within the 3-hour window from 3:45 AM UTC. Local sources cited by Khorasan Diary confirmed the killing of Mengal, with no immediate arrests or identification of the perpetrators. The motive behind the attack remains undisclosed in initial reports from the period. Separate commentary from analyst Michael Kugelman on X highlighted the Balochistan crisis, noting that the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has exploited local anger at the state to boost recruitment amid ongoing violence. No direct link to this specific killing was stated.
