Balochistan: BYC Condemns Brutal Murder of Ittifaq Manzoor by Pakistani Forces

QUETTA: The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has issued a strong condemnation following the death of Ittifaq Manzoor, a victim of enforced disappearance, in as a staged bomb blast by Pakistani forces in Turbat.

The BYC has called the killing a calculated and heinous act, highlighting it as a chilling continuation of the state’s ongoing campaign of violence and oppression against the Baloch people.

According to reports, Pakistani police in the Josak area of Turbat claimed that Ittifaq Manzoor died on the night of January 12, 2025, while allegedly attempting to plant a bomb, which supposedly exploded. However, the victim’s family and the BYC categorically rejects this official narrative, labelling it as a fabricated excuse to justify the extrajudicial killing.

The truth, according to the committee, is that Ittifaq Manzoor had been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces on December 10, 2024, in front of multiple witnesses.

His family had publicly raised their voices, holding press conferences and organising protests demanding his release, alongside the cases of his two brothers. While his brothers were eventually released, Ittifaq remained in illegal detention until he was killed.

In an official statement, the family of Ittifaq Manzoor rejected the police’s version of events.

 They stated that Ittifaq was abducted by Pakistani forces on December 10, 2024, and was in their custody when he was killed in the bomb blast. They further emphasised that the police’s accusations were baseless and false.

The family had previously raised concerns about the disappearances of Ittifaq and his two brothers in a press conference held at the end of 2024. While his brothers were later released, Ittifaq was tragically killed in the explosion last night.

BYC has condemned the state’s actions, demanding accountability for the ongoing genocide of the Baloch people. The committee accused the Pakistani authorities of using enforced disappearances followed by staged encounters and false charges as systematic tactics to suppress dissent and instil fear within the Baloch people.

In a statement, the BYC said, “This brutal act is yet another example of the state’s disregard for human life and its attempt to silence the voices of those who seek justice and self-determination for Balochistan.”

The committee has called for international intervention, urging human rights organisations, the media, and the global community to take notice of the worsening human rights crisis in the region. It demands an end to the policy of genocide, enforced disappearances, and state-sanctioned violence that continues to plague Balochistan.

The BYC has vowed to continue its efforts to seek justice for Ittifaq Manzoor and other victims of state violence in Balochistan.