Baloch Activist Criticizes Pakistan's Crackdown on Protests Against Enforced Disappearances

Mahrang Baloch accuses Pakistan of using violence to suppress protests organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee against enforced disappearances. Activists, including Deputy Organizer Lala Wahab Baloch, have faced arrests. The activist highlights ongoing violations and urges human rights groups to address these oppressive measures.

Prominent Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch has accused the Pakistan government of employing violence to quash a peaceful demonstration organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) protesting recent enforced disappearances in Balochistan. Speaking out on the social media platform X, Baloch reported the arrest of BYC's Deputy Organizer Lala Wahab Baloch and other protestors.

Describing the government's actions as a 'crackdown on freedom of expression,' Baloch said Pakistan's intelligence agencies, the Sindh police, and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) have resorted to violent measures. By detaining BYC officials in Karachi, the government is allegedly attempting to suppress protests against enforced disappearances documented across the region.

Mahrang Baloch further accused the authorities of systematically silencing dissent. She emphasized that the crackdown exemplifies severe authoritarianism, with dozens of Baloch individuals, especially young students, being forcibly disappeared. Baloch urged human rights organizations not to overlook this 'oppressive assault on civil liberties.'

Recent incidents include the forcible disappearance of three men by security forces in Balochistan's Panjgur and Khuzdar districts. Ali Haider was reportedly detained from his home, while Siraj Rasheed and Shahab were allegedly apprehended separately, according to reports by The Balochistan Post. Their families remain unaware of their whereabouts.

Enforced disappearances are a persistent issue in Balochistan, as documented by international human rights organizations like Amnesty International. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) advocates for the rights of the Baloch people, focusing on political autonomy, cultural preservation, and social justice within Balochistan.

(With inputs from agencies.)