BYC announces January 25 as ‘Baloch Genocide Memorial Day’ to honour victims of enforced disappearances

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has declared January 25 as “Baloch Genocide Memorial Day” to honour those who have fallen victim to what the group describes as a genocidal campaign against the Baloch people, The Balochistan Post reported.

The day will be marked with a major public gathering in Dalbandin, located in Chaghi district, as part of a broader effort to bring attention to alleged human rights abuses in Balochistan.

The announcement was made during a press conference at Dasht Kabristan, a cemetery known for containing the bodies of unidentified victims.

Mahrang Baloch, leader of the BYC, explained that January 25 marks the 2014 discovery of over 100 mutilated bodies in the Tootak region of Balochistan. She alleged that these remains belonged to Baloch individuals forcibly disappeared by Pakistani military and intelligence agencies.

“This horrific event has left an enduring wound on the collective memory of the Baloch people,” Mahrang said, highlighting the deep grief it caused families throughout the region, reported The Balochistan Post.

The BYC claims that the systematic targeting and killing of Baloch people, with victims often buried in unmarked graves, amounts to genocide under international law. Mahrang pointed to the discovery of sites like Dasht Cemetery as evidence of widespread atrocities.

The January 25 commemoration aims not only to remember the victims but also to raise global awareness of the alleged Baloch genocide. The BYC is calling for international recognition of these crimes, urging participation from Balochistan’s communities and the global diaspora. In addition to the gathering, the group plans to launch online campaigns, webinars, and social media initiatives to amplify the message.

BYC has instructed local communities across Balochistan to collect data on victims, coordinate with affected families, and mobilise for the event, The Balochistan Post reported.

They view this day as an opportunity to strengthen solidarity among the Baloch people and push for global action to end the ongoing cycle of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in the region.