Shutter-down strike message to Pakistan to take demands seriously: Baloch activist

Mahrang Baloch said: Today, Karachi including entire Balochistan is testifying against the "genocide and oppression". "The ongoing shutter down strike across Pakistan is a message to the state to stop its gimmicks and take seriously the demands of the ongoing movement against the Baloch genocide. Scenes of the shutter-down strike from Karachi!"

She said that the majority of participants in the Islamabad sit-in are elderly people, women, and children, all of whom are relatives of victims of enforced disappearance.

As per Mahrang, one elderly man said, "My young son has been forcibly taken in front of us by Frontier Corps (FC) personnel. If my son has been killed, inform us; if alive, release him. We are oppressed people; the state should stop its oppression".

"These victim families have traversed a long road, carrying their dreams, hopes, and ambitions. The march from Turbat to Islamabad holds their misery and despair, strength and weakness, past and future. Reaching Islamabad seemed like unlocking the door of their destiny; all eyes fixed on that door. Yet, here we are, drawing the line between the oppressor and the oppressed; it marks our end and beginning," Jaishankar wrote on 'X'.

Meanwhile, in the wake of ongoing protests in Balochistan, a complete shutterdown strike was observed in multiple areas of Pakistan against the extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances of Baloch people, the Yakjethti Committee said on Wednesday.

In a social media post on X, the committee said, "Complete Shutter Down is being observed in Turbat on the call of Baloch Yakjehti Committee on the 41st of the movement against Baloch Genocide. State has tried it's best to sabotage this movement through threats, profiling, harassment and violence. But, We as a nation are committed to END BALOCH GENOCIDE."

It added, "Today, entire Balochistan is testifying that this genocide and repression is no more. The ongoing shutter down strike across Pakistan and especially in Balochistan is a message to the state to stop its tricks and join the ongoing movement against Baloch genocide. Take the demands seriously. Shutter-down strike scenes from Khuzdar."

The shutterdown was also observed in Islamabad, where people showed their support by voluntarily closing their shopping centres in support of the ongoing protest in Islamabad.

Glimpses of Shutter-Down protest on the call of Baloch Yakjehti Committee were also seen in Noshki. People came out voluntarily to close their shopping centres in support of the Sit-In at NPC, Islamabad. (ANI)