The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has condemned the use of state machinery to unleash brutal violence against a nine-month peaceful sit-in protest at Chaman. The authorities in Islamabad resorted to excessive force, employing tear gas, batons, and water cannons against the demonstrators. The BYC expressed its outrage over the state’s response, emphasizing that instead of addressing the legitimate concerns of the people of Chaman and the border dwellers, the state has chosen to use violence against peaceful protesters.
Reports indicate that during the early hours of Friday, law enforcement agencies attacked the peaceful protest in Chaman district, resulting in injuries to more than thirty individuals. The BYC highlighted the severe impact of the military aggression, noting that it led to the loss of valuable human lives and further injuries. Chaman has been effectively besieged, cut off from the rest of Balochistan, and internet services have been shut down. The BYC declared its solidarity with the peaceful protesters, supporting their legitimate demands.
Baloch leader Mahrang Baloch also condemned the brutal actions of the Pakistani defence forces on social media. In her statement on ‘X’, she described the state’s actions in Chaman as alarming and condemnable, stressing that the people of Chaman had been peacefully protesting for their social and economic rights for several months. She lamented that the peaceful sit-in had been met with continuous violence by the state army. According to social media reports, many people were injured in the recent attack on the Chaman Dharna. Mahrang Baloch called on human rights organizations to take immediate notice of the state brutality on the Chaman protest.
The Baloch community in Pakistan has long suffered at the hands of Pakistani law enforcement agencies. The Human Rights Department of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), known as PAANK, has repeatedly condemned the Pakistan army’s atrocities in Balochistan, including enforced disappearances and fake encounters. PAANK’s monthly reports shed light on the deteriorating human rights situation in Balochistan.
According to a recent PAANK report, Balochistan has become a battleground for violent actions allegedly perpetrated by state forces such as the Frontier Corps (FC), the Counter-Terrorism Department, and army-backed death squads. In May alone, the province witnessed 19 cases of torture victims, three extrajudicial killings, and 90 enforced disappearances. Many of the disappeared individuals later resurface dead, bearing signs of torture.
The report highlighted several extrajudicial killings, including the deaths of Zahid Niaz from Kandari Mashkai district Awaran and Yar Muhammed Jalal from Nasirabad, both fatally shot on May 27. It also detailed the brutal murder of Balach Nazir Ahmed Badini, a promising football player from Nushki, who was gunned down in broad daylight. Enforced disappearances remain a pervasive issue in Balochistan, with 90 cases reported in May alone, particularly affecting districts like Kech, Dera Bugti, and Gwadar.
The BYC and other Baloch leaders continue to call for an end to the violence and for the state to address the legitimate concerns of the Baloch people. The ongoing conflict and human rights abuses highlight the urgent need for international attention and intervention to prevent further suffering in Balochistan.
