BYC Condemns New Military Powers as an Attempt to Legally Justify Baloch Genocide

QUETTA: The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has strongly condemned the Pakistani federal government’s recent decision to grant the military in Balochistan sweeping powers to arrest individuals without trial. It argues that this move is a blatant attempt to legally justify and perpetuate the ongoing genocide of the Baloch people.

In a statement issued today, a spokesperson for the BYC expressed grave concerns over the new policy, which permits the military to detain individuals on suspicion and hold them without charge for up to three months.

According to the BYC, this decision is not only a legal sanction for ongoing atrocities but also an escalation of the state’s brutal campaign against the Baloch population.

The BYC highlighted that the military has long exercised such powers informally, routinely disappearing Baloch individuals without due process and detaining them in secret torture cells for extended periods. This practice, which has persisted for years, continues unabated, with no legal recourse for victims.

The spokesperson of BYC pointed out that enforced disappearances have become a daily occurrence across Balochistan, from Makran to Koh-e-Sulaiman.

They warned that the new legal framework, which targets individuals under the guise of apprehending “suspects,” will further intensify these abuses and offer legal cover for severe human rights violations.

Balochistan, already one of the most severely impacted regions by enforced disappearances, sees an average of more than one Baloch person going missing each day. The latest government decision aims to grant the military full legal and constitutional authority to carry out these disappearances, effectively providing legal immunity for its actions.

This disturbing development has raised significant concerns about the human rights situation in Balochistan.

The BYC fears that such measures will exacerbate the crisis, potentially leading to the disappearance of thousands of individuals. The committee has urgently called on international human rights organizations to condemn the decision and take swift action to address the escalating crisis.