Responding to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee’s call, protesters took to the streets in Turbat, demanding the immediate recovery of forcibly disappeared individuals. The rally, which ended in a sit-in at Shaheed Fida Chowk, reflected the growing anger toward the Pakistan Army’s oppressive tactics in Pak-occupied-Balochistan.
Protesters, including women and children, marched through the streets carrying photos of their missing loved ones and chanting slogans against the Paki establishment’s atrocities. The gathering at Shaheed Fida Chowk saw emotional speeches from the families of the disappeared, as well as leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee.
Shahji Sighatullah, a central leader of the committee, condemned the Army for making enforced disappearances a norm, not only in POB but also in Karachi and other parts of Pakistan where Baloch students study. “Over 50 people were abducted in October alone, many of them students, with police and security officials complicit in these crimes,” he said.
He criticized the Paki establishment for failing to protect the people of POB while instead sponsoring lawlessness. Referring to a recent bank robbery in Buleda, Shah Ji said, “Despite dozens of Army checkpoints in the area, no robbers were arrested. The military’s role seems limited to silencing dissent rather than ensuring public safety.”
Shahji further highlighted the growing trend of targeting released detainees. “Just last night, a man previously abducted by occupied-state agencies was shot and wounded in Sangani Sar. His court hearing was scheduled for today. This shows how the Army’s hostility toward the Baloch continues even after they release their victims.”
He criticized the occupied-govt’s manipulation of media narratives, particularly the smear campaigns against Baloch women. “Several innocent women have been falsely branded as suicide bombers to tarnish the image of Baloch resistance. These fabricated stories, like the recent attempt in Aapsar, aim to criminalize our people. But we refuse to accept these lies.”
Turbat Rally
Shah Ji also condemned the occupied-state’s suggestion to compensate families of the disappeared. “No Baloch mother will ever sell her son’s corpse for 5 million rupees. The Army fails to understand our culture. These so-called open courts and reconciliation efforts are nothing but deceitful performances,” he said.
He concluded by reaffirming the right of the Baloch people to resist oppression. “We are an oppressed nation fighting for survival. Every oppressed group has a natural right to victory, and the Baloch will claim that right, no matter what.”
Advocate Mehrab Khan Gichki echoed these sentiments, warning, “The fire that the establishment has ignited in Balochistan will eventually consume those responsible. The Baloch are engaged in their final struggle, and no amount of military repression can halt our movement.”
Family members of the missing also addressed the sit-in, sharing painful accounts of their loved ones’ abductions. The sister of Asad Baloch recounted how her brother was taken from CGS Colony, Quetta, in 2014. “We filed an FIR and attended every hearing, but nothing has changed. He went to Quetta to study, only to be abducted. We are helpless, but protesting is our right,” she said.
The sister of Sohail Baloch disclosed that her brother, who suffers from epilepsy, was abducted twice—first from Dazen and later from a relative’s house in Turbat on October 11. “In October alone, 50 individuals, mostly students and children, were abducted. The Army’s oppression leaves us no choice but to unite and fight for justice,” she added.
Another speaker, the sister of Iqbal, abducted from Tump in 2007, said, “We are not asking for hospitals or schools. We are only asking for Iqbal’s release so he can live a normal life. Is that too much to ask?”
The protest saw heartfelt speeches from siblings of several missing persons, including Attaullah Noor, Javed Baloch, Yasir Baloch, Abdul Malik, and Hayat Sabzal, all demanding the safe return of their brothers.
