Mehrang Baloch urges to form united front against Pakistan's atrocities on Baloch people

The Baloch National Conference (BNG), announced earlier this month, aims to unite the Baloch community against atrocities committed by Pakistan, including enforced disappearances, torture, targeted killings and economic exploitation.

Aiming to raise awareness about the meeting, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) is conducting awareness campaigns in several parts of Balochistan, including Sariab and Huda areas of Quetta district and Killi Qadirabad area of ​​Noshki district, reports Balochistan Post.

However, one of these awareness meetings was attacked this week in Khuzdar area of ​​Balochistan.

Reportedly, the Pakistan Army detained several young Baloch women during a pamphlet distribution drive for the BNG.

These women were detained after a violent assault by Frontier Corps (FC) personnel.

The Baloch community later expressed their disagreement and accused the Pakistani government of increasing repression against the Baloch.

According to BYC, the arrests took place on Khand Road in Khuzdar town when the women were distributing pamphlets promoting the Baloch National Conference.

Those detained include Saira Baloch, sister of enforced disappearances Asif and Rashid, and Sadia Baloch, sister of Salman.

Prominent Baloch activist Mehrang Baloch condemned the detention in a scathing post on 'X'.

“This act is like adding fuel to the fire. The incompetent rulers and institutions of this state have no idea what they are doing,” he wrote. Mehrang warned that if Saira, Sadia and the other detained women were not released immediately, “the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) will soon announce its next action.”

Local sources have confirmed that the detained women are being taken to an unknown location in FC vehicles. The incident has led to widespread protests in Khuzdar, with reports that the Pakistan Army has opened fire to disperse the protesters.

Human rights organizations and activists have strongly condemned these actions.

PAANK, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), condemned the detention in a statement on 'X'.

“The Pakistani military has detained Saira Baloch and other family members of those forcibly disappeared and has illegally detained several women,” the statement said. “PAANK condemns these actions and demands their immediate release. Such abuses must not be tolerated.”

Furthermore, BYC has appealed to international human rights organizations to urgently intervene and advocate for the immediate release of the detained women.

As Balochistan Post reported, this situation underlines a worrying trend of increasing repression against Baloch activists and peaceful protesters in Balochistan.