Thousands of protesters have surged onto the streets of Pak-occupied-Balochistan and other major cities for the fourth consecutive day, voicing their outrage against the violent crackdown on participants of the Baloch Raaji Muchi movement.
In Quetta, POB’s capital, demonstrators have maintained a sit-in protest on Sariab Road in front of the University of Balochistan. On Wednesday, the rally drew thousands who chanted defiant slogans against Pak Army brutality, with slogans such as, “The struggle of mothers and sisters vows that the dawn will be ours; the dawn is ours.”
In Islamabad, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) organized a large rally outside the National Press Club. Activists, human rights advocates, and students voiced concerns about censorship and media blackouts. They criticized the violent crackdown on the ‘Baloch National Gathering,’ highlighting reports of enforced disappearances, attacks on convoys, and the deaths of participants.
Human rights activist and lawyer Imaan Mazari, who joined the Islamabad protest, condemned the Army’s use of force against peaceful Raaji Muchi protesters, saying, “The occupied-state’s aggressive response to a peaceful movement underscores its fear of Baloch resistance.” She commended BYC leaders for preventing attempts to escalate the protests into violence and for bringing the state’s actions to international attention.
Baloch Raaji Muchi Movement
In Karachi, police detained several BYC leaders and activists, including Fouzia Baloch, outside the Karachi Press Club while they were preparing to speak to the media. The arrests were met with widespread condemnation from activists who called for their immediate release. The detained individuals have since been released.
In Dalbandin, security forces reportedly opened fire on protesters during a sit-in, injuring three individuals and heightening regional tensions. In Noshki, demonstrators blocked the main highway at Ahmadwaal and halted two trains en route to Iran. The region has seen continued shutter-down strikes in response to violence in Gwadar.
Authorities have filed FIRs against protest participants and BYC activists in Barkhan and Uthal. The BYC reported the arrest of Qazi Siraj-ul-Haq by Uthal police, with his current whereabouts unknown.
In Rakhni, Barkhan, FIRs were filed against demonstrators following a peaceful rally, further exacerbating unrest. Protesters have denounced these actions, demanding the withdrawal of the FIRs and an end to the arrests of peaceful protesters.
Despite the ongoing crackdown, the BYC’s sit-in protest in Gwadar persists into its fourth day, reflecting the protesters’ enduring commitment to opposing Army violence.