|
As Pakistan prepares for the upcoming Eid al Fitr, peaceful dissent can be noticed in Balochistan against the regular occurrences of enforced disappearances and other atrocities inflicted by Pakistan on the Baloch community.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), an organisation involved in Baloch rights advocacy, recently reported. In a recent post on 'X' the BYC announced that the fifth phase of the ongoing movement against the Baloch Genocide will be held across Balochistan on Eid. "In the "fifth phase" of the ongoing movement against the Baloch Genocide by the Baloch Solidarity Committee, protests will be held across Balochistan on the day of Eid. The Baloch nation is currently facing serious crimes such as enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings, forced evictions, economic sanctions and others," the committee said. Moreover, they urged everyone to participate in this movement. "While the entire Baloch society is suffering from forced disappearances. We request each and every member of the Baloch nation to play their full role in this movement against Baloch genocide," the BYC added. https://twitter.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1776188284890149220?t=OL92LQShPgR2qbA3wIwPKw&s=08 In this post, the BYC also announced protests in 22 different locations across Balochistan. The location included prominent cities like Turbat, Mustang and Gwadar. Additionally, protests have also been planned by BYC at Bulaida, Panjgur, Khuzdar, Grisha, Naal, Kharan, Qalat, Kohlu, Sweat, Mangchar, Hub, Awaran, and Dalbandin. Taking the matter to 'X' prominent journalist Hamid Mir said, "On this Eid-ul-Fitr, protests will be held in 22 different cities of Balochistan, including Karachi and Quetta, for the recovery of missing persons. #ReleaseAllMissingPersons." https://twitter.com/HamidMirPAK/status/1777760152185159761?t=UUGSUYFaalmyElAh2D2fgA&s=08 Additionally, the president of the Baloch American Congress, Tara Chand, in a post on 'X', emphasised that while everyone is celebrating Eid, the Baloch people are mourning their loved ones and protesting for justice. "While the world celebrates Eid, the Baloch people mourn their loved ones and protest for justice, showcasing their remarkable resilience and courage in the face of adversity. The demand for accountability from the Pakistani army is inevitable during this time. #BalochistanProtestOnEid," Tara Chand stated. https://twitter.com/drtchand/status/1777864222975631771?s=08 Previously, in December last year, activists participating in the Baloch Long March against the Baloch genocide staged a sit-in at Islamabad's National Press Club on the 32nd day of their movement. The march from Turbat to Islamabad faced numerous challenges, with the state imposing "barriers and arrests," yet the "march united Baloch and revealed the government's oppressive actions," according to the Baloch Yakjahti Committee. The Baloch Yakjahti Committee at that time, in a post on X, emphasised the difficulties encountered during their protest march and how these challenges only served to unite the Baloch community against the oppressive actions of the government. "We've gathered at Islamabad's National Press Club, standing firm against injustice," the post added. Mahrang Baloch, the leader of the Baloch Solidarity Committee, in a virtual address from Islamabad, pleaded for humanitarian intervention against the Baloch genocide that has persisted for decades in Balochistan. She highlighted the forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and forced displacement of thousands, emphasising the escalating intensity of the genocide. She said that the movement began with a peaceful sit-in in Turbat, lasting 13 days, before transitioning into a peaceful long march covering hundreds of kilometres to reach the capital. However, the state responded with extreme force throughout the mass movement, employing false FIRs, physical violence, and arrests against the activists. (ANI)
|
