Baloch Families Continue 56-Day Protest in Islamabad Amid Rising Killings in Balochistan
ISLAMABAD: For the 56th consecutive day, a determined group of Baloch families, whose loved ones have been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces, continue their sit-in protest in Islamabad. The protest, led by the families of the detained leaders of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and other enforced disappeared persons has become a stark symbol of resistance against the ongoing human rights abuses in Balochistan.
The families, many of whom are elderly women and children, have braved weeks of scorching heat, heavy monsoon rains, and constant intimidation in their call for justice. Despite the harsh conditions, they remain undeterred, demanding the immediate release of BYC leaders and an end to the widespread practice of enforced disappearances that has plagued Balochistan for years.
“The state must listen to our cries for justice. We demand the immediate release of our loved ones and an end to these heinous crimes,” said a spokesperson for the protesting families. “Our men and women are being taken in the dead of night, and no one is held accountable. This is why we are here, day after day — we will not rest until our voices are heard.”
However, rather than engaging with the protesters’ legitimate demands, authorities have responded with a heavy hand. Police forces have repeatedly blocked roads, imposed restrictions on the protesters, and subjected them to continued harassment. The protestors have been denied even basic facilities, such as shelter, exacerbating their suffering.
Despite these efforts to silence them, the families’ resilience has become a glaring indictment of the state’s failure to address the ongoing human rights violations in Balochistan. The sit-in has garnered significant attention, drawing support from both local and international human rights groups, who have condemned the government’s actions.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, a leading civil rights organisation in Balochistan, has been at the forefront of the movement, calling for an end to the systemic disappearances and extrajudicial detentions. Their leaders were detained months ago, sparking the protests that have now stretched into their second month.
Rights organisations and foreign diplomats have expressed grave concern over the ongoing repression and the treatment of the protesting families. However, the Pakistani government has yet to make any concrete moves toward addressing the demands, and the fate of the detained leaders remains uncertain.
The killings of local Baloch civilians have only deepened the outrage and calls for justice. On the evening of September 6, 2025, Jalal son of Haji Yar Muhammad, a local businessman from Gomazi, Tump, in district Kech, was shot dead by state-backed death squads. This marked the third extrajudicial killing in the district on the same day, following the deaths of Izhar and Mulla Bahram in Mand earlier that morning.
Eyewitnesses and local sources have confirmed that the killings were carried out by death squads operating under the supervision of Pakistani army, raising further alarm over the escalating violence in the region.
The recent killings have added a sense of urgency to the already tense atmosphere surrounding the protest in Islamabad, with many activists and human rights organisations linking the extrajudicial killings to the larger pattern of repression in Balochistan.
As the protest enters its eighth week, the determination of the Baloch families only seems to grow stronger. The situation in Islamabad has become a focal point of the ongoing struggle for justice and human rights in Balochistan, with the families pledging to continue their protest until their demands are met.
