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Amid growing concerns over civil liberties, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has accused state authorities of intensifying intimidation and coercion against peaceful activists in Balochistan.
The group claimed that its members and supporters are being targeted through a pattern of harassment aimed at undermining its advocacy efforts. In a press release shared on X, BYC stated that individuals and their families have reportedly been summoned to security offices and pressured into recording video statements disassociating themselves from the organisation. These statements, the committee alleges, are made under duress and are intended to misrepresent the group's peaceful objectives. Such actions, it argues, not only damage the credibility of the movement but also create a climate of fear among the wider population. The committee maintains that these measures violate fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan, particularly Article 19, which ensures freedom of expression, and Article 16, which protects the right to peaceful assembly. BYC further stressed that coercing individuals into false declarations directly contradicts these constitutional protections. The statement also highlighted Pakistan's obligations under international human rights frameworks, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). These instruments affirm the rights to free expression, peaceful assembly, and association rights that the BYC claims are being systematically curtailed. International concern has also been noted. Mary Lawlor, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders, has recently raised alarm over the treatment of activists in Pakistan, specifically referencing issues affecting BYC members. The committee stated that suppressing peaceful voices could deepen mistrust and alienation rather than restore stability. It called for an immediate halt to what it describes as harassment and coercion, urging authorities to uphold constitutional and international commitments. BYC also appealed to national and global human rights organisations to take urgent notice of the situation and engage with Pakistani authorities to ensure accountability. Reaffirming its stance, the group emphasised its continued commitment to peaceful resistance and lawful advocacy for justice and dignity in Balochistan. (ANI)
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