In a unified response to recent Pak Army actions, the Pakistan Bar Council, Balochistan Bar Council, Balochistan High Court Bar Association, and local bars in Sibi, Kech, Turbat, and Quetta have announced a complete boycott of judicial proceedings across Pak-occupied-Balochistan. The move is in protest against the crackdown on the Balochistan National Committee’s Baloch Raaji Muchi rally.

The joint statement from these legal bodies strongly condemns the Army’s imposition of obstacles, the use of force against peaceful rally participants, and the associated violence, including shootings, deaths, injuries to political activists, and abuse of women and children. The statement underscores that organizing a peaceful rally is a fundamental right, and the Pak Army’s actions to suppress this right through violence and intimidation are unacceptable.

Judicial Boycott 

The boycott, which took effect on July 29, Monday, saw a complete halt in judicial proceedings in various courts, including the civil court, session court, and Balochistan High Court in Quetta. Courts in Sibi, Turbat, Gwadar, and Choki were also affected, resulting in significant difficulties for litigants due to the disruption of legal services.

Munir Kakr Advocate, a member of the Supreme Judicial Commission, condemned the firing on the peaceful Baloch Raaji Muchi convoy by security forces in Mastung. Kakr called for an immediate investigation into the incident by higher authorities, asserting that the ongoing genocide of the Baloch people and the suppression of their peaceful protests reflect a broader issue of injustice. He questioned why the Army fears the Raaji Muchi rally and reaffirmed that the Baloch nation’s quest for national identity cannot be deterred by force.

Prominent lawyer Muhammad Saleem Lashari Advocate also denounced the shooting of the Raaji Muchi convoy, emphasizing that the situation represents a critical issue of Baloch survival and urging an end to the violence.

Dr. Mahrang Baloch, a prominent leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, has condemned the Pak Army’s violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in Gwadar. In a statement issued today, Dr. Baloch revealed that over one thousand supporters of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) have been detained. She warned that if anything happens to her or any BYC member, the Pak establishment will be held accountable.

Addressing the Baloch Raaji Muchi rally at Marine Drive in Gwadar last night, Dr. Mahrang said, “Pakistan wants to scare us with its guns, conscience-selling soldiers, and death squads. But I am sure that Baloch mothers have given birth to children who will stand in front of bullets.”

The situation in Gwadar has escalated dramatically, with the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps (FC) launching a new brutal attack on the peaceful Baloch National Gathering sit-in. The military has surrounded the sit-in from all sides, indiscriminately firing upon peaceful protesters and subjecting them to severe violence. This has resulted in numerous injuries and the arrest of hundreds of individuals.

Dr. Mahrang Baloch described the current conditions in Gwadar as apocalyptic, noting that the entire city is effectively held hostage by the military. She reported that efforts to evacuate the injured are being blocked, with ambulances denied passage.

“I urge you all to immediately contact human rights organizations, journalists, and anyone concerned with human rights,” Dr. Mahrang Baloch said. “Thousands of lives are at extreme risk in Gwadar.”

In her address at the Baloch Raaji Muchi rally, Dr. Baloch emphasized the need for unity among the Baloch nation, declaring, “Enough is enough. The Baloch are tired of your oppression and are standing firm against this genocide and the exploitation of their resources and seas.” She sent a resolute message to the oppressors, asserting that their time is over.

Front Line Defenders, a prominent human rights organization based in Ireland, has issued a strong call for the immediate release of detained Baloch activists and the safe treatment of injured protesters following a violent crackdown by Pakistan Army in Gwadar. The organization expressed grave concern over the recent actions taken by Pak authorities against peaceful demonstrators at a Baloch National Gathering.

Front Line Defenders said that Pak forces have detained several Baloch activists, including Sammi Deen Baloch, a well-known human rights worker, and moved them to undisclosed locations. The organization has raised alarms about the well-being of these detainees, fearing for their health and safety.

In response to these developments, Front Line Defenders has demanded the immediate release of all detained and missing Baloch activists from Gwadar and throughout Pak-occupied-Balochistan. The organization is also calling for assurances regarding their protection and the provision of medical aid and health facilities to dozens of injured protesters.

Front Line Defenders had previously honored Sammi Deen Baloch with the prestigious Front Line Defenders Award 2024 for the Asia and Pacific region earlier this year. The organization’s founder and UN special representative, Mary Lawlor, has also condemned the violent crackdown and the arrest of Baloch political activists.

Lawlor has called for their prompt release and urged Pakistan’s Geneva delegation to press the Pak Army to fulfill its human rights commitments to the United Nations. He emphasized the need for the Pak Army to ensure that the Baloch Yakjehti Committee’s right to peaceful protest is upheld and to secure the recovery of all detained and missing activists from Gwadar.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has issued an urgent appeal to international media houses and journalists, reporting that Pak-occupied-Balochistan has become a fully war-torn region. The appeal highlights severe human rights violations and calls for immediate coverage.

BYC announced a Baloch national gathering in Gwadar on July 28. However, the Pakistan Army has deployed all its resources to prevent this peaceful public assembly, committing severe human rights violations in the process.

Communication blackout & curfew

For the past 48 hours, the internet has been completely shut down in most parts of Gwadar and Makran. Phone networks have also been down since last evening. An undeclared curfew has been imposed in Gwadar and surrounding areas, with no one allowed to enter or leave the city.

A convoy of thousands of people left Quetta for the national gathering in Gwadar. Shortly after departing, they were stopped by the Pak Army and Frontier Corps. Despite their large numbers, they managed to reach Mastung after overcoming several barriers.

In Mastung, the Pak Army opened direct fire on the peaceful convoy, which included hundreds of women and children. Due to this brutality, fourteen participants were injured, three critically. The military then punctured the tires of all vehicles, rendering them useless, and broke windows by firing directly at them. The convoy is now holding a peaceful sit-in in Mastung.

Roadblocks & further violence

Talar, located 60 kilometers from Gwadar, hosts a large military camp and checkpoint. All convoys heading to the Baloch national gathering have been stopped at Talar for the past 48 hours. Until last evening, local journalists and BYC activists reported extreme violence, direct firing, and tear gas shelling by the military. Several peaceful participants were reportedly injured, and one killed. However, with communication networks down, further updates are unavailable, raising concerns for the thousands of participants’ safety.

A convoy from Karachi and Hub was also stopped multiple times. Initially held for 12 to 14 hours, they were later stopped again at Buzzi Top in Hingol, where their vehicle tires were punctured. The convoy, which includes many women and children, has been holding a sit-in under the open sky without food and water since last night.

Crackdown on Activists

In the past week, raids targeted peaceful activists preparing for the national gathering in various parts of POB. Twelve female and more than fifty male were forcibly disappeared, and multiple false FIRs were filed against activists.

On July 28, a complete shutter-down strike is ongoing in most parts of POB against the Pak Army’s oppression. Sit-ins are also being held in front of Balochistan University in Quetta, on the Quetta-Karachi Highway in Mastung, and on the Coastal Highway in Hingol.

Media Blackout and Appeal

BYC said that due to the communication blackout, they lack complete information about the national gathering in Gwadar. Convoys from other parts of POB have yet to reach their destination, and updates are unavailable.

Pakistani mainstream media is silent on the issue and therefore, BYC appealed to international media houses and journalists to respect journalistic values and principles by providing coverage of the war-like situation in Balochistan, the complete curfew in Gwadar, and the severe oppression by the Pak establishment.