FBM Condemns Pakistani State’s Brutal Actions Against Peaceful Protesters in Balochistan

QUETTA: The Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) has strongly condemned the recent actions of the Pakistani state forces in Balochistan, where peaceful and unarmed protesters were shot at during a demonstration in Quetta.

According to the FBM spokesperson on Saturday 22 March, three Baloch individuals were killed and several others injured when Pakistani forces opened fire on the protesters.

The FBM’s statement further criticised the international community for its silence in the face of these atrocities. The spokesperson accused global peacekeeping bodies and organisations of turning a blind eye to the ongoing genocide of the Baloch people, suggesting that the Pakistani and Iranian states would not be able to escalate their violent campaigns against the Baloch without international complicity.

“When peaceful Baloch activists are gunned down, there is no outcry from the international community. However, when the Baloch nation rises in self-defence, the same global organisations repeat the narratives created by the Pakistani military,” the FBM spokesperson stated. The movement called for a shift in international policy, urging global powers, the UN and peacekeeping organisations to take action against the ongoing repression.

The spokesperson went on to highlight the systematic repression of the Baloch people by both the Pakistani and Iranian states.

The FBM  that both regimes have been actively trying to annihilate the Baloch population since their respective occupations began. The Pakistani state, along with Iranian forces, is accused of trying to force the Baloch nation to abandon its pursuit of freedom, human rights, and dignity. Despite ongoing atrocities, the Baloch people continue to resist at all levels.

In the same statement, the FBM condemned the actions of Pakistani forces who, under the cover of darkness, buried the bodies of 13 Baloch martyrs in Quetta’s Kasi Graveyard, labelling them “terrorists.”

The FBM called this act a violation of basic human rights and an affront to humanity. The forced burial of these bodies, without identifying them or informing the families, the FBM argued, infringes on the right to information, guaranteed under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The FBM spokesperson further emphasised that the Pakistani state continues to label anyone who speaks out for the rights of the Baloch people—whether men, women, children, intellectuals, or activists—as “terrorists.” In contrast, the spokesperson argued, it is the Pakistani and Iranian states that are the true “terrorists,” as they engage in human rights violations and systematically erase the identities of the Baloch people.

Drawing historical parallels, the FBM pointed out that Pakistan’s actions in Balochistan echo its tactics during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, where the Pakistani military targeted intellectuals, students, and civilians in an attempt to suppress the Bengali population. The same methods, the FBM stated, are now being applied to Baloch intellectuals, students, and peaceful political activists.

Lastly, the FBM condemned Pakistan as not just a state engaged in internal terrorism, but also one that spreads terror globally to further its expansionist goals. The movement called on the international community, including the UN Security Council to recognise Pakistan as a threat to global peace. They stressed that Pakistan’s ongoing campaign of mass killings and genocide against oppressed nations like the Baloch and Pashtuns must be held accountable.

The FBM reiterated its call for immediate international intervention to stop the Pakistani state’s actions in Balochistan and demanded that the global community hold Pakistan accountable for its crimes against the Baloch people.