Baloch Families Enter 34th Day of Sit-In in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: The sit-in by families of forcibly disappeared persons and detained leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) entered its 34th day in the federal capital of Pakistan on Monday, as protesters vowed to continue their struggle despite harsh weather conditions and harassment by authorities.
The families, many of whom include women and children, have been camped in Islamabad for over a month. They are demanding the immediate release of BYC leaders taken into custody, and an end to Pakistan’s decades-long policy of enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
Protesters say Pakistan’s continued practices of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and collective punishments have created an atmosphere of fear and persecution in Balochistan. “Generations of Baloch families have been devastated by this policy, which robs people of their loved ones, silences dissent, and criminalises legitimate political activity,” a statement from the BYC read.
Organisers described the sit-in as a “powerful reminder that the Baloch people will not accept silence or erasure,” highlighting the resilience of families who continue their protest despite heat, exhaustion, and limited access to basic necessities.
Activists also appealed to international human rights organisations and global media to break their silence on Pakistan’s continuous violations of the Baloch people’s rights.
“The struggle of these families is not only for their loved ones but for the dignity, survival, and future of the Baloch nation,” the BYC statement added, calling the protest a moral indictment of ongoing state repression.
