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Pakistani authorities have imposed an internet blackout in Dalbandin, raising serious concerns among human rights groups and activists about the looming threat of violence in Balochistan, according to a post shared on X by Mahrang Baloch on Thursday.
The internet blackout comes days before Baloch Genocide Remembrance Day, scheduled for January 25, when the people of Balochistan will come together to protest the ongoing atrocities. The post noted that the digital crackdown is reminiscent of an unsettling trend. Similar internet restrictions were imposed during the Baloch National Gathering in Gwadar in July last year, where organizers and attendees of the event were brutally suppressed afterward. Serious concerns are being raised due to this history of repression, with fears that the government may use violence to suppress peaceful opposition in Dalbandin once again. The internet blackout heightens concerns among Baloch Youth Conference (BYC) organizers about a possible crackdown on the event. The shutdown severely limits the Baloch people's ability to record and share their experiences of human rights violations, as communication routes are cut off. Mahrang Baloch, in her post, claimed that the digital siege not only infringes on basic human rights but also threatens the rights to free expression and peaceful assembly. It fosters a climate of intimidation and terror in which the government can act without consequence. The post by Mahran Baloch on X stated, "Call to Action Against Internet Shutdown and Potential Crackdown in Dalbandin. The shutdown of internet services across the region, including Dalbandin, ahead of the peaceful Baloch national gathering represents a deliberate attempt to silence voices and violates fundamental human rights". The post reported that human rights organisations have a critical role to play in this situation. They must strongly denounce the internet outage and demand that the Pakistani government promptly restore internet access in Dalbandin. They must also monitor the situation closely and take action to prevent any possible violence against the organizers and attendees of Baloch Genocide Remembrance Day. (ANI)
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