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Balochistan [Pakistan], January 7 (ANI) A deepening sense of fear has gripped residents of Balochistan's Kech district as kidnapping-for-ransom, criminal activity, and widespread lawlessness continue to surge, compelling political parties, trader bodies, and civil society groups to intensify protests and announce further shutdowns.
The alarming deterioration in security has pushed the local population to take to the streets in unprecedented numbers, as reported by The Balochistan Post. According to The Balochistan Post, amid worsening conditions, All Parties Kech, the traders' association, and various political and social groups jointly organised a protest rally and complete shutdown strike on January 5. In the days leading up to the demonstration, organisers distributed pamphlets across Turbat, visiting markets, neighbourhoods, and commercial hubs to explain the collapsing security environment and appeal for united public participation. The organisers said frequent abductions, unchecked crime, and the failure of law enforcement had created widespread panic, making peaceful public mobilisation imperative. On January 5, thousands of residents, including men, women, lawyers, activists, and professionals, poured onto the streets of Turbat. The rally began at Apsar Bazaar, passed through major parts of the city, and culminated in a large gathering at Shaheed Fida Chowk. Civil society representatives stated that Balochistan was again being dragged into a cycle of ransom kidnappings, killings, and insecurity due to the state's inability to perform its most basic duty: protecting its citizens. Haq Do Tehreek Balochistan Kech also endorsed the protest, condemning kidnapping-for-ransom, enforced disappearances, and alleged extrajudicial-style arrests. Political parties, including the Balochistan National Party (BNP), argued that rampant disappearances, robberies, and killings reflected systemic governance failures rooted in Pakistan's coercive and dismissive approach toward Balochistan, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post. Addressing the crowd, former Chief Minister Abdul Malik Baloch said the situation in Kech had reached a "perilous" stage. He demanded the immediate recovery of abducted youths Haseeb Haji Yaseen and Shah Nawaz Gul Jan and warned that attempts were underway to push Kech back into instability. Several other speakers, including lawyers, trade leaders, and political figures, echoed similar concerns. Organisers stated that if the missing youths were not recovered promptly, a stronger shutdown strike would be observed, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI)
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