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.

Protests in Balochistan have escalated sharply following a violent state crackdown on participants of the ‘Baloch Raaji Muchi’ and the reported disappearances of several leaders from the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) in Gwadar.

Activists Sammi Deen Baloch, Dr. Sabiha Baloch, and Sibghatullah Baloch have been missing since July 29, 2024. Sammi Deen, known for her work against enforced disappearances and a recipient of the Front Line Defenders award, was also injured during the crackdown.

Journalist Hamid Mir has reported that Sammi Deen Baloch and other activists were detained by Pakistan Army. He criticized the arrest of women activists, asserting that it will only exacerbate the situation rather than resolve it.

The heavy-handed state response, which has resulted in several deaths, numerous injuries, and the detention of nearly a thousand BYC supporters, has triggered widespread protests across POB. Demonstrations have erupted in cities such as Quetta, Khuzdar, Kharan, Kalat, and Dalbandin, with protesters demanding the release of detainees and an end to Pak Army violence.

In Quetta, large crowds protested against violence against peaceful demonstrators. In Dalbandin, police efforts to disperse protesters led to clashes, with the crowd throwing stones and police responding with open fire.

In Kharan, residents have shown support for the ‘Baloch Raaji Muchi’ participants, while in Khuzdar, Pak forces have blocked the BYC’s protest rally, raising fears of further crackdowns. These actions have resulted in road blockades and shutter-down strikes across many cities, with several highways in POB being obstructed.

BYC’s Baloch Raaji Muchi

Initially scheduled as a one-day event on July 28, the ‘Baloch Raaji Muchi’ has evolved into an indefinite sit-in protest on Gwadar’s Marine Drive due to the brutal crackdown. On Monday, a second wave of violence by Pak security forces resulted in additional casualties and injuries. Despite this, thousands of protesters reassembled at the sit-in site by the evening.

A BYC representative reported that the security forces conducted another crackdown on Monday, detaining BYC leaders Sammi Deen Baloch, Dr. Sabiha Baloch, and Sibghatullah Baloch, who have been moved to an undisclosed location. The representative confirmed that many BYC workers were also taken into custody, and declared, “The sit-in will persist until all detained workers are released.”

Dr. Mahrang Baloch described the current conditions in Gwadar as apocalyptic, noting that the entire city is effectively held hostage by the military. Thousands more are waiting at the Talaar Checkpoint, 60 km from Gwadar, to join the protests. Pak forces opened fire in Talaar, resulting in at least two deaths and over 20 injuries.

In a tragic incident, Advocate Qalandar Raza has passed away from a heart attack while participating in a protest in Quetta. This demonstration was part of a broader movement across Pak-occupied-Balochistan in response to a violent crackdown by Pak Army on the Baloch Yakjehti Committee’s Baloch Raaji Muchi rally in Gwadar.

The aggressive action against the peaceful gathering and the subsequent arrests have ignited widespread outrage, leading to protests and strikes throughout the region.

In the wake of these events, the Pakistan Bar Council, Balochistan Bar Council, Balochistan High Court Bar Association, and other regional bar associations have announced a complete boycott of judicial proceedings in POB. This boycott is a protest against the Pak Army’s brutality on peaceful Baloch protestors and aims to demand justice for those affected by the brutal crackdown in Gwadar.

Gwadar crackdown

In preparation for anticipated further protests, the Paki establishment has implemented strict security measures in Quetta. Roads leading to the Red Zone have been blocked with containers, and a heavy deployment of security forces, including the Frontier Corps and police, has been established. The Red Zone has been sealed off for the past four days, effectively barring public access.

These measures follow a call from the BYC for a Balochistan-wide shutter-down strike and protests against the violence in Gwadar. The committee has condemned the attacks on convoys and the arrests of participants, urging citizens to join the demonstrations. In response, cities across POB have witnessed strikes and rallies, with residents expressing solidarity with those affected by the Army’s heavy-handed tactics.

In Pak-occupied-Balochistan, Pakistan Army has detained a local man from Gadani, an industrial town in the region. The individual, identified as Wadera Sattar, son of Hassan, was abducted for providing food and water to Baloch women and children participating in a sit-in protest.

Sattar was taken into custody and subsequently moved to an undisclosed location. The incident has raised concerns among local residents and human rights advocates.

The detention occurs against the backdrop of a complex situation near Gadani, where dozens of travellers find themselves stranded. These individuals, who were en route to attend a rally in Gwadar, were denied entry by Pak security forces. Subsequently, they were also blocked from returning to Karachi, therefore are now stranded in the midst of desert and the ongoing Baloch Raaji Muchi protest.

Protestors said that their journey, which began in Karachi on July 27, was forcibly halted by Pak forces. As the occupying-authorities resorted to violence and damaged their vehicle tires to prevent them from reaching Gwadar.

The situation has escalated, with authorities imposing restrictions on food and water supplies to the protestors. Local businesses, including hotels and shops, have also been forced to close, further limiting resources available to the stranded group.

And now, Sattar, a local Gadani resident who was providing food to the protestors was also forcibly disappeared. Incidents like this are among the main reasons why the Baloch community is protesting against the Army. The Baloch gathering is a platform to protest against ongoing atrocities faced by the Baloch community under Pak military rule since 1948.

Pakistan Army have intensified their crackdown on protesters in Gwadar, with reports of gunfire and a de facto curfew imposed in the area. The situation escalated overnight as forces demanded the surrender of attackers involved in a recent rally incident.

During the Baloch Raaji Muchi rally on Monday, participants apprehended two armed individuals near the stage. The suspects were found with a 9mm pistol and multiple rounds of ammunition. In the video, the suspects confessed that they had been sent by Pakistan’s Military Intelligence (MI) to assassinate Dr. Mah Rang Baloch and other leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee.

Following the detention of the attackers by rally participants, Pak security forces issued threats to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee leaders, demanding the immediate handover of the suspects.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee had previously announced threats from Pakistan forces and local authorities against their leaders, including Dr. Mah Rang Baloch and Sammi Baloch. An audio recording from the Deputy Commissioner of Gwadar confirming these threats has also emerged.

Since the rally began, security forces have fired upon participants, resulting in multiple injuries and fatalities. Medical aid for the injured has been denied, and forces have erected barriers on all major highways in Balochistan, blocking access to Gwadar.

In response to the escalating violence, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee has called on international organizations and media to address the ongoing state violence in Pak-occupied-Balochistan and to report on the unfolding crisis.