A sit-in protest in Pak-occupied-Balochistan’s Kech district has entered its fifteenth day, with local traders and residents joining in solidarity by shutting down their businesses. The demonstration, initiated by families of missing individuals from various areas of Kech, is gaining widespread support.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, an organization advocating for Baloch rights, reported on social media platform X that Kech is experiencing a “complete shutter-down protest”. They emphasized the voluntary nature of this action, stating that traders and residents have chosen to forgo their daily earnings to stand with the protesters.
This protest is part of a long-standing issue in PoB, where the Pak Army’s enforced disappearances and human rights violations have persisted for years. The Baloch people have consistently raised concerns about suppression, socio-economic disparities, and political injustices that they have continued to face for past three decades.
Of particular concern is the rampant abduction of Baloch students, which has drawn both local and international attention. Human rights organizations have documented numerous cases of abductions and extrajudicial killings carried out by Pak Army and its affiliated groups.
Despite Pakistan’s stance, the international community continues to express concerns over human rights issues in PoB, citing evidence of systematic discrimination and suppression of Baloch perspectives and rights.