On the heels of a protest in Quetta’s Red Zone demanding the safe return of Zaheer Ahmad, a missing person, the event turned violent as security forces intervened with force. Family members and leaders from the Baloch Yakjehti Committee held a press conference, expressing their anguish and determination. They emphasized their commitment to peaceful protests despite the aggressive tactics used against them. The demonstrators, advocating for Ahmad’s release, faced tear gas, baton charges, and gunfire, resulting in numerous injuries and arrests.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee leaders criticized the authorities, calling out their brutality against peaceful protesters, including women and children. They condemned the statements made by officials that dismissed their concerns and demanded concrete evidence about Zaheer Ahmad’s disappearance. They also highlighted the injuries and detentions from the previous night, with some protesters in critical condition. The leaders reiterated their peaceful stance and vowed to continue their sit-in until their demands were met, including the release of all detainees and the return of confiscated items.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee decried the violent response to their peaceful protest, stating that it reflects the state’s repressive approach to any form of dissent. They pointed out that even peaceful demonstrations calling for the return of missing loved ones are not tolerated. The committee noted that Zaheer Ahmad, a government employee, was forcibly disappeared on June 27, and despite ongoing protests, there has been no response from the authorities.
They criticized Interior Minister Zia Langove for his dismissive press conference, which they saw as an attempt to mislead the public and undermine their legitimate concerns. The committee called for a larger resistance against the state’s oppressive actions, announcing plans for further protests and public gatherings to continue their struggle for justice and accountability.
MNA Mahmood Khan Achakzai condemned the police’s violent crackdown on the peaceful protest, emphasizing the need for a political solution to Balochistan’s issues. He argued that using force against unarmed protesters, particularly women, would only escalate tensions and deepen the mistrust between the people and the state. “Such cowardly acts will only deteriorate the situation in Balochistan further,” he stated, urging the government to address the issue politically.
Achakzai warned that the state’s heavy-handed tactics would fuel further resentment among the Baloch people. He stressed that the dream of peace in Balochistan could never be realized if the state continued to mistreat Baloch women and peaceful demonstrators. The use of force, he noted, only highlights the state’s inability to handle political dissent maturely and constructively.
Dr. Naseem Baloch, Chairman of the Baloch National Movement, accused the Pakistani state and military forces of escalating violence against innocent people. He criticized the authorities for their ongoing practice of enforced disappearances and brutal crackdowns on peaceful protests. “The shooting, baton-charging, and tear-gassing of protesters demanding Zaheer Ahmad’s release is blatant state terrorism,” he declared.
Dr. Baloch highlighted that such oppressive actions show the state’s reliance on violence to suppress any form of dissent. He emphasized that no power in the world has ever succeeded in crushing a just movement through violence alone. The Baloch people, he asserted, are determined to continue their struggle for their rights, drawing strength from their historical resilience and the sacrifices they have made.
The Baloch Students Organization-Azad condemned the security forces’ attack on the protestors, describing it as an attempt to silence the growing political consciousness among the Baloch people. They highlighted the state’s use of enforced disappearances and violent crackdowns as a means to maintain control over Balochistan. “The occupying forces have shown their true face by attacking the peaceful family of Zaheer Ahmad,” their spokesperson stated.
The organization called for human rights groups to take note of the state’s oppressive tactics and urged the Baloch people to continue their resistance. They emphasized that historical evidence shows no oppressive regime can sustain its control indefinitely, especially in the face of a politically awakened and determined populace. The BSO-Azad urged all Baloch to stand united against these injustices and to seek justice through collective resistance.
