Baloch activist accuses Pakistan govt of “resorting” to violence to “suppress” protest against enforced disappearances

Prominent Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch accused the Pakistan government of resorting to violence to “suppress a peaceful protest” organised by Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) against the recent enforced disappearances in Balochistan.

Taking to X, Mahrang Baloch accused Pakistan of arresting Deputy Organizer of BYC Lala Wahab Baloch and other protestors.

She called the measures taken by Pakistan government a “crackdown on freedom of expression”

“Once again, Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, the Sindh police, and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government have resorted to violence, arresting Deputy Organizer of BYC Lala Wahab Baloch along with other protesters in Karachi to suppress a peaceful demonstration against enforced disappearances organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC),” Baloch wrote on social media platform X.

She further accused the Pakistan government of “systematically silencing” the voices raised against them.

“This crackdown on freedom of expression represents the worst form of authoritarianism. In recent weeks, dozens of Baloch individuals, particularly young students, have been forcibly disappeared, while voices speaking out against human rights violations are being systematically silenced. Human rights organizations must not ignore this oppressive assault on civil liberties,” Baloch wrote on X.

On October 18, three men were ‘forcibly disappeared’ by Pakistani security forces in the Panjgur and Khuzdar districts of Balochistan.

The men–identified as Ali Haider, Siraj Rasheed, and Shahab–were allegedly taken by authorities at different times over the past week, the Balochistan Post reported.

Ali Haider was reportedly detained on the night of October 16 during a raid at his home in the Korsak area of Khuzdar. He was taken to an unknown location, and his family has since been unable to establish his whereabouts.

In a separate incident, Siraj Rasheed and Shahab were allegedly apprehended three days earlier while returning from Zamuran, located in the Parom area of Panjgur. Their families are also unable to trace them.

Enforced disappearances have been a longstanding issue in Balochistan, with international human rights organisations, and Amnesty International, documenting numerous cases of individuals taken by state authorities without legal justification, the Balochistan Post reported

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) is a political and social organisation based in Balochistan. It was formed to advocate for the rights of the Baloch people and to promote unity among various Baloch nationalist groups. The committee focuses on issues such as political autonomy, cultural preservation, and social justice for the Baloch community.