Protests Held Across Balochistan Against Brutal Targeted Killings

QUETTA: On the call of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) a series of protests took place in different cities of Balochistan, demanding an end to extrajudicial killings and the targeted murders of Baloch individuals.

The protests, held in key areas including Chaghi, Nushki, Tump, Dalbandin, and Gomazi, came in response to the recent rise in state-backed executions of Baloch youth, with protesters imploring the continuing violence and the lack of justice.

In Tump’s Goomazi region, a large rally was held in protest against the killings of Karim Bakhsh Manzoor and Mehraj son of Abdul Khaliq, with a significant turnout of residents, including women, children and the elderly. Marching through the streets, protesters chanted slogans, demanding immediate arrests of the perpetrators behind these brutal killings. Gathering in front of the Goomazi Hospital, they expressed fear and frustration over the increasing incidents of violence in the region.

Local speakers at the rally highlighted the alarming rise in killings, warning that if justice was not served promptly, the protests would intensify. “The state has remained silent on this issue, allowing these crimes to continue unchecked. We demand justice for the victims and action from the authorities to ensure the safety of our people,” one speaker remarked.

Similar protests were held in Nushki, Chaghi, Dalbandin, and Gomazi, where participants voiced their concerns about the increasing wave of extrajudicial killings. The protesters denounced the death squads operating with state backing, calling for an end to these violent acts. They also raised the issue of enforced disappearances, with victim families demanding the safe return of their loved ones who have gone missing at the hands of state forces.

In a statement, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders announced that if their demands for justice and accountability were not met, they would broaden the scope of their protests to include even more regions of Balochistan.

Over the past few months, targeted killings of Baloch-learned individuals have become a daily occurrence, further fuelling the anger and frustration of local communities. Protesters described these killings as part of a larger campaign of state repression against the Baloch people, with many claiming the state is conducting a genocide through its armed militias.

The recent killings in Kech and other parts of Balochistan have amplified calls for urgent action, with the Baloch Yakjehti Committee calling on the international community to intervene and press the state to end its violent crackdown on the Baloch population.

Protesters have vowed to continue their fight until justice is served and the violence ceases.

“The Baloch nation will not remain silent in the face of oppression. We stand united in the demand for justice and an end to the state-sponsored violence,” one protester said, as the rally echoed with chants of defiance.

As the protests continue to grow, the pressure on the Pakistani state to address the issue of target killings of Baloch youth especially intellectuals and ongoing enforced disappearances is intensifying, with many warning that the situation could escalate if immediate action is not taken.