Baloch protestors have made a call for the shutterdown protest across the nation on January 3 against alleged rights abuses and “genocide” of the Baloch nation in southwestern Pakistan.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, organizer of the protest, demanded an end to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan. Expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s response, the committee stated, “The state has consistently shown a half-hearted and uncommitted concern regarding our demands from the beginning.”
In light of this, the committee announced a shutterdown protest across Pakistan on January 3, emphasizing the need for people to support the strike in the name of humanity and the Baloch nation to preserve their identity.
On January 3rd, our ultimatum will expire. The State has consistently shown a half-hearted and uncommitted concern regarding our demands from the beginning. Furthermore, despite the seriousness of the Baloch Genocide issue, State officials are attempting to justify it by labeling… pic.twitter.com/oGrbgaoNNH
— Baloch Yakjahti Committee – Kech (@BYCKech) January 1, 2024
Protesters, stationed near the National Press Club for over a week, had given the government a seven-day ultimatum on December 28 to meet their demands. These demands include the release of arrested protestors, a thorough investigation into rights violations in Balochistan, an end to enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, release of all victims of enforced disappearances, restrictions on the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), and elimination of “state-sponsored death squads.”
Dr. Mahrang Baloch, one of the protest organizers, shared details through a video, highlighting that the protest march began after a Baloch youth was allegedly killed in CTD custody. Stressing that the movement had widespread support among the province’s residents, she stated, “Our movement is against the decade-long enforced disappearances and murders of innocent citizens in Balochistan.”
Dr. Mahrang recounted that Islamabad police used force to obstruct the long march, and numerous “fake” first information reports were registered against protesters nationwide. She claimed that the administration has consistently refused to address their concerns regarding the policy of Baloch genocide.
