On Tuesday, Amnesty International called for an end to the harsh crackdown on Baloch protests and expressed deep concern over the arrest of protest organizers, highlighting the troubling decline in civil and political rights in Pakistan.
The Balochistan Yakjehti Committee (BYC) protest, which took place a day prior, resulted in the deaths of at least three people and injuries to several others following clashes between participants and security forces across the province. Despite roadblocks set up by authorities, many managed to reach Gwadar’s Marine Drive for the Baloch Raji Muchi (Baloch national gathering).
On Monday, the military reported that one soldier was killed and 16 others, including an officer, were injured during a clash in Gwadar with what they described as an “unruly mob.” BYC leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch countered this, claiming that hundreds of supporters had been arrested in the past two days.
Current reports indicate that participants of the Baloch Raji Muchi are still in Gwadar, despite a road and communications blockade. The crackdown by security forces aimed to disperse a sit-in organized by the BYC on Marine Drive, which had begun after the Baloch Raji Muchi ended on Sunday evening. The local administration reported that the situation was stabilizing and that over two dozen protesters had been arrested during the crackdown.
The BYC alleged that in Monday’s violent crackdown, the Counter-Terrorism Department forcibly abducted BYC leaders, including Sammi Deen Baloch, Dr. Sabiha Baloch, and Sibghat Abdul Haq Baloch. They claimed that these abductions were witnessed by thousands of peaceful protesters and involved beatings and torture.
Amnesty International’s statement condemned the crackdown and called for the immediate and unconditional release of all arrested organizers. They expressed alarm over the reports of deaths and arrests, viewing them as part of a broader trend of declining civil and political freedoms in Pakistan.
The organization criticized the recurring pattern of violence against Baloch protesters and noted the use of roadblocks and shutdowns of internet and mobile networks as methods to restrict movement and information. Amnesty emphasized that the government must uphold rights to freedom of expression, information, movement, and peaceful assembly under both national and international human rights law.
Amnesty also highlighted that similar repressive measures had been documented during previous protests, such as the Baloch Long March. The BYC, in a follow-up statement, announced that Dr. Sabiha had been released due to public pressure, but there was still no information about the whereabouts of Sammi Deen Baloch and Sabghatullah Baloch. The BYC reported that over 200 participants from the Gwadar sit-in had been arrested and were unaccounted for.
The BYC demanded the immediate release of all arrested individuals and the restoration of internet and mobile services throughout Balochistan. They warned that if their demands were not met, they would initiate an indefinite shutdown of Balochistan, including Quetta, holding the state responsible for any resulting incidents.
