The protestors allege that Pakistani defence forces are trying to stop them from participating in nationwide gathering, which hold the government and the defence forces accountable for their “brutality.”…reports Asian Lite News
The situation in Balochistan continues to worsen as the Pakistani defence forces have brutally cracked down on the Baloch community, as they gathered across Balochistan for Baloch National Gathering.
The protestors allege that Pakistani defence forces are trying to stop them from participating in nationwide gathering, which hold the government and the defence forces accountable for their “brutality.”
However, despite severe violation of human rights in Pakistan, the international media has cornered the issue of violence in Balochistan, according to protestors.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, in a media statement, urged the international media to provide coverage to the issue.
“Balochistan has now become a completely war-torn region. And the Pakistani state is using all its machinery and power to stop this peaceful public gathering and is committing the worst human rights violations,” the statement read.
Highlighting the ongoing human rights violations in Balochistan, the rights group said, “For the past 48 hours, the internet has been completely shut down in Gwadar and most parts of Makuran, while phone networks have been shut down since yesterday evening. A complete undeclared curfew has been imposed in Gwadar and nearby areas. No one is being allowed to enter or leave Gwadar.”
The statement also elaborated on the atrocities Pakistani defence forces are inflicting on Baloch caravans that were travelling to Gwadar for a national gathering.
Reportedly, a Baloch National Gathering caravan, including thousands of people, departed from Quetta yesterday morning. They were stopped and obstructed by the Pakistani military, Frontier Corps.
The caravan reached Mastung after overcoming these multiple barriers, where the Pakistani military opened direct fire on the caravan, carrying hundreds of women and children.
14 participants were injured in this barbarism, three of whom were critically injured and are now receiving treatment at the Quetta Trauma Centre.
Following this, the military forces burst the tyres of all the convoy’s vehicles, rendering them useless, and shattered the windows with direct fire. The caravan intended for the Baloch national gathering is currently holding a peaceful sit-in in Mastung.
The BYC further alleged that peaceful protestors were raided in Balochistan and several have been “forcibly disappeared,” while others have seen them being booked in false cases.
“To sabotage the Baloch National Gathering, in the past week, peaceful activists preparing for the national gathering have been raided in various parts of Balochistan. Five people from Karachi and several from Quetta have been forcibly disappeared, and several false FIRs have been registered against peaceful activists in various parts of Balochistan,” the statement read.
Terming the entire Balochistan region a “war zone,” the BYC urged global media houses and journalists to respect journalistic values and principles, and cover the issue.
“For the past 48 hours, the entire Balochistan has been a war zone, but it is deeply regrettable and a matter of shame for the journalistic community that none of the so-called Pakistani mainstream media and journalists has uttered a word about this serious issue, but are all criminally silenced. We appeal to all media houses globally and journalists to respect journalistic values and principles to provide coverage of the war-like situation in Balochistan, the complete curfew in Gwadar, and the severe brutality and oppression by the Pakistani state,” the statement added. (ANI)
Malala condemns violence against Baloch protesters
Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has expressed support for Baloch people protesting against enforced disappearances and “strongly condemned” violent responses against peaceful protesters.
In a post on X, Yousafzai stated, “I stand in solidarity with Baloch sisters who are demanding justice and protesting against enforced disappearances. I strongly condemn the violent response against peaceful protesters.”
She made the statement in response to a post shared by Amnesty International on X. Amnesty International expressed concern over the “use of unlawful and unnecessary force” against the participants of the Baloch National Gathering by security forces.
It called on Pakistani authorities to immediately lift the internet shutdown in Pakistan and fulfil its obligations under domestic and international human rights law to facilitate people’s right to peaceful protest by lifting the road blockades placed on the way to Gwadar.
In a post on X, Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office stated, “Pakistan : @amnesty is alarmed at the use of unlawful and unnecessary force against the participants of the Baloch National Gathering by security forces yesterday. It is a blatant violation of people’s right to freedom of peaceful assembly.”
“On 27 June, Frontier Corps reportedly fired on unarmed and peaceful protestors in Mustang, Balochistan, resulting in 14 injuries, several among them serious. A complete internet shutdown has also been imposed in Gwadar, hindering the flow of information in and outside the region. Amnesty International calls on the Pakistan authorities to immediately lift the internet shutdown in Balochistan, and fulfil its obligations under domestic and international human rights law to facilitate people’s right to peaceful protest by lifting the road blockades on the way to Gwadar to allow freedom of movement for protestors,” it added.
The statements by Amnesty International and Malala Yousafzai came after Pakistani security forces reportedly took severe action against participants of a Baloch national gathering. The recent crackdown has sparked significant backlash amid fears that these measures might exacerbate rather than alleviate the underlying problems.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) accused Pakistani security forces of launching a “brutal and violent attack” on the Baloch National Gathering sit-in, which resulted in the arrest of more than 200 people.
In a post on X, Baloch Yakjehti Committee stated, “On the morning of July 29, the Pakistani security forces launched a brutal and violent attack on the Baloch National Gathering peaceful sit-in, resulting in numerous injuries and the arrest of over 200 individuals. We still have no information of their whereabouts.”
“Despite the incident, Baloch Yakjehti Committee activists, with the strength and support of the public, have resumed the sit-in, which continues today on its third day. Even now, police and Frontier Corps (FC) surround the sit-in area and are continuously harassing the peaceful participants,” it added.
In another post on X, the BYC stated that protests erupted across Balochistan in response to the violent attacks on the peaceful Baloch National Gathering.
Taking to X, BYC stated, “In response to the violent attacks on the peaceful #BalochNationalGathering, demonstrations erupted throughout Balochistan. Today, people in large numbers are observing protests and shutter-down strikes in Kahran, Kalat, Dalbandin and other places, in solidarity with the victims of state brutality, who lost their lives, and marched bravely in front of bullets, with their heads held high.”
This crackdown has drawn substantial criticism amid concerns that such actions could escalate rather than resolve the underlying issues.
The Baloch community continues to endure severe human rights abuses, particularly enforced disappearances where individuals are abducted by state or affiliated forces without legal recourse, causing profound anguish for their families and often resulting in severe torture.
The situation is compounded by extrajudicial killings targeting activists and critics without due process, instilling widespread fear and stifling dissent. (ANI)