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Families of Baloch missing persons, along with members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), are experiencing harassment and intimidation from authorities following a peaceful protest held outside the National Press Club in Islamabad on July 17, as reported by Paank.
The protest was led by Dr. Mahrang Baloch, Shah Ji, Bebagar Baloch, Bebow Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, and Mahjabeen Baloch, sister of missing student Hafeez Baloch, who arrived in Islamabad to demand justice and the safe return of their missing loved ones. Many protesters carried photographs of their family members who have been missing, with some having been detained for years without trial. They also called for the release of BYC leaders who have been detained under the controversial 3MPO law. The families were barred from setting up tents and were denied permission to continue their sit-in outside the Press Club. Uniformed police officers and individuals in plain clothes, believed to be linked to intelligence agencies, including the ISI, intervened and prevented the protesters from establishing even basic shelter amid heavy monsoon rains. Despite the weather, protestors, including women and children, sat in the open, soaked and chilly, while continuing to demand justice, according to Paank. The report further indicated that a group of unidentified individuals carrying placards marked "mafia" was brought in, allegedly to undermine the protest's legitimacy. When journalists questioned this group, they were unable to identify who had sent them or their purpose. Nevertheless, they were granted full protection by Islamabad Police, raising concerns about a state-sponsored effort to discredit the protest. In the following days, the crackdown intensified. Reports indicated that police sealed off roads near the Press Club to obstruct media access and isolate the protestors. Buses were deployed to forcibly remove the families, and it was alleged that some officers referred to this action as "deporting them to Balochistan," a comment that has drawn strong condemnation from rights groups for implying discriminatory treatment, as noted in the Paank report. On the night of July 20, families temporarily residing in nearby rented flats were evicted without notice after their water and electricity were cut off. Property owners were reportedly threatened by intelligence agencies, causing women, the elderly, and children to be forced onto the streets around 2:00 a.m. Legal experts and human rights organizations have denounced the state's treatment of the protest, citing violations of several constitutional rights including liberty, peaceful assembly, dignity, and freedom of expression. Pakistan is also a signatory to various international agreements, such as the ICCPR and CEDAW, which prohibit arbitrary detention and uphold the rights of children and women, according to the Paank report. Enforced disappearances continue to be a significant problem in Balochistan, with victims often taken without warrants or due process. Activists persist in their demands for legislation to criminalise enforced disappearances following international standards. The Paank report concludes by calling for international intervention. Human rights organisations and legal bodies are urged to exert pressure on the Pakistani government to fulfil its constitutional and international obligations, investigate enforced disappearances, and ensure the protection of families seeking justice. (ANI)
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