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Thousands of people took to the streets in Panjgur, protesting against the arrests of Baloch Unity Committee (BYC) leaders, including Mahrang Baloch, Sammi Deen Baloch, Beberg Baloch, Bebo Baloch, and others.
The protest rally, which was organized by the BYC, demanded the immediate release of these leaders and condemned the violence that followed the arrests. In a post on X, the Balochistan Post stated, "Protest rally in Panjgur against the kidnapping-like arrests of Baloch Unity Committee Leaders Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Sammi Deen Baloch, Beberg Baloch, Bebo Baloch and others, incidents of firing and violence on protesters." The arrests of Mahrang Baloch and 16 other activists occurred on Saturday when they were taken into custody from their protest camp on Quetta's Sariab Road. The protest camp was part of a larger movement calling for justice and an end to what many in the region perceive as a crackdown on Baloch political activism. The BYC's call for protests spread quickly, with similar rallies and strikes held in various cities across Balochistan, including Quetta, where the protest camp was located. In Panjgur, the streets were filled with banners and chants demanding the immediate recovery of the BYC leaders. Participants in the rally emphasized the importance of continuing the peaceful struggle for the rights of Baloch people and the release of all political prisoners, as cited by Balochistan Post. Adding a personal note to the ongoing struggle, Mahrang Baloch's family has been facing severe restrictions in their attempts to meet her. Her sister, Nadia Baloch, took to social media to describe the harrowing experience of trying to visit her sibling in detention. In her post on X, Nadia shared that she had to plead for three hours to be allowed to meet Mahrang, with her younger sister, Iqra, being denied access altogether. "I had to threaten jail staff with a hunger strike to be granted permission to see my sister. After three hours of pleading, they finally let me in, but only for a few minutes," Nadia wrote. "When I saw Mahrang, she was strong, smiling, and she told me to tell our nation to stay strong and keep fighting for justice through peaceful protests and marches." The incident in Panjgur is just the latest in a series of protests and political unrest across Balochistan in recent months. The Baloch Unity Committee, a political organization representing Baloch nationalists, has been a vocal critic of the Pakistani government's policies towards the region, demanding greater autonomy and an end to what it describes as human rights abuses and political repression. The crackdown on the BYC leaders and their peaceful protests has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights groups, who accuse the government of attempting to silence dissent and curtail the political activities of Baloch activists. Despite the violence and arrests, the protesters in Panjgur and across Balochistan remain determined to continue their fight for the release of the detained leaders and for greater rights for the Baloch people. For now, the people of Panjgur and other regions of Balochistan continue to rally for justice, their voices growing louder in their demand for the return of their leaders and for the end of the repression they have long endured. (ANI)
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