Wheel-jam strikes, shutter-down protests, and sit-ins have swept across Balochistan after the arrest of prominent human rights activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch and the violent crackdown on Baloch protesters in Quetta on Friday.
Dr. Baloch, the central organizer of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), was detained during an early-morning police raid on Saturday at a sit-in protest in Quetta, where demonstrators had gathered with the bodies of three people allegedly killed by police gunfire a day earlier.
“Today, at 5:30am, security forces carried out a brutal pre-dawn raid on the sit-in. Baloch women, children, and peaceful protesters were subjected to extreme violence,” the BYC said on X.
In a statement, the BYC condemned the raid as an “act of terrorism” and vowed to continue resisting until all detainees are released.
Meanwhile, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind defended the police action, stating that officers had “acted in accordance with the law” after protesters allegedly attacked police personnel on Friday. He claimed the protesters had blocked a major national highway, causing hardship for travelers.
“No one will be allowed to take the law into their hands. If anyone does so, the government will act,”
Mr. Rind said, also questioning the identity of the bodies used in the protest.
However, eyewitnesses and activists strongly dispute these claims, accusing the authorities of using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators.
Balochistan-Wide Strikes, Protests, and Road Blockades
A wave of wheel-jam strikes, shutter-down protests, and sit-ins has spread across Balochistan in response to Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s arrest and the police violence on Friday.
Markets and commercial centers remained closed in Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Chagai, Nushki, Washuk, Turbat, Panjgur, and Hub Chowki among others. Meanwhile, protesters have erected blockades on major roads.
In Quetta, key routes such as Sariab Road, Qambarani Road, and Brewery Road are blocked, while security forces have sealed off the city’s central zone with containers to prevent further demonstrations.
