In Quetta, the capital of Eastern Balochistan, a peaceful assembly of Baloch men and women protesting against the enforced disappearance of Baloch citizens by Pakistani state agents was met with police violence.
According to reports received by the Balochistan Human Rights Group, on Thursday, July 11, 2024, thousands of Baloch citizens took to the streets in reaction to the enforced disappearance of “Zaheer Baloch.” This protest, led by Dr. Mehrang Baloch, turned violent when Pakistani security forces intervened. As a result, dozens were injured by bullets and tear gas, and dozens more, including women and children, were arrested and taken to unknown locations.
This action by Pakistani security forces is a blatant violation of human rights and the right to peaceful assembly. As the violence escalated, anti-government demonstrations spread across the streets of Quetta, with protesters blocking major streets overnight. Prior to this, Dr. Mehrang Baloch had called on the Balochistan government and Quetta police, in a video message, to release the protesters and Zaheer Baloch, but this request was ignored.
Dr. Mehrang Baloch warned that the federal government of Balochistan and Quetta police would be held responsible for any incidents affecting the protesters. This warning underscores deep concerns for the safety of the demonstrators and the need to protect human rights and citizen safety.
Zaheer Baloch was arrested by security forces more than ten days ago, and no information regarding his whereabouts or condition has been made available. This has raised serious concerns among his family and has led thousands of other citizens to join the protests.
It is noteworthy that in December of last year, one of the largest public protests against the enforced disappearances by the Pakistani government was led by women such as Mehrang and Simi Baloch. These protests were also met with repression and violence.
Over the past two decades, tens of thousands of Baloch citizens have been abducted by Pakistani security and military forces. The bodies of some of these individuals have been discovered in deserts and various regions, while the whereabouts of thousands more remain unknown. The Pakistani government has yet to provide adequate responses regarding these cases. This situation represents not only a severe violation of human rights but also a failure to uphold justice and the rule of law by state authorities.
Human rights groups and international organizations must closely investigate these incidents and call on the Pakistani government to be accountable and to respect the fundamental rights of Baloch citizens.
