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Accusing the Pakistani government of "harassing" the peaceful protestors, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) warned that if anything happens to them the "state" will be responsible.
BYC, which is a prominent organiser of the protest march said that the protest against Baloch genocide and enforced disappearances has reached 35 days and the mother and sister of Shaheed Balach have joined the sit-in camp in Islamabad. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), BYC stated, "On the 35th day of the movement against Baloch genocide and enforced disappearances, it continues in front of the National Press Club in Islamabad. The mother and sister of Shaheed Balach have joined the sit-in camp. Continuously, Islamabad police and the state are harassing peaceful protesters". "We clarify that if anything happens to the protesters, the state will be responsible. Our sit-in camp will continue until our demands are met," it added. https://x.com/BYCKech/status/1740681323176722840?s=20 Earlier on Thursday, 34 Baloch protestors who had been arrested during a police crackdown in the federal capital last week were released by the Pakistani caretaker government, Geo News reported. Earlier, after the first round of talks, the government ordered the release of all the protesting women who were taken into custody during the police crackdown. The Baloch people were protesting against the "extra-judicial killing" of a Baloch youth by Counter-Terrorism Department officials in Turbat earlier this month, according to Geo News. Following the incident, Baloch women started a long march on December 6 and reached Islamabad on December 20. However, as soon as they reached the capital, cops launched a crackdown against the protesters and dismantled their camps set up outside the National Press Club. In the crackdown, most of the protesters were arrested by the police, which sparked anger nationwide. Meanwhile, the government, defending its move to launch a crackdown, declared it a necessary measure to avoid a "catastrophe". Moreover, the police crackdown against Baloch marchers was strongly condemned by human rights organisations, politicians, and analysts, reported Geo News. Mahrang Baloch, the face of the movement, outlined a series of demands during a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday. She called for a detailed investigation into rights violations in Balochistan, proposing the involvement of a UN Working Group. The demands included signing an agreement, under the Working Group's auspices, for the elimination of "enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings". She also demanded the release of all victims of enforced disappearances, restrictions on the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), and the elimination of "state-sponsored death squads". Mahrang also called for the withdrawal of fake cases against peaceful protesters. She further emphasised that the state must demonstrate seriousness in ending human rights violations and illegal measures in Balochistan to prove its commitment to resolving the "Baloch genocide." (ANI)
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