Dr. Mahrang Baloch, a prominent Baloch activist and leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), claimed at a seminar in Quetta that Balochistan has been transformed into a military zone under the guise of development projects.
Speaking at the Quetta Press Club on Saturday, Dr. Baloch stated that Balochistan is the most underdeveloped region in Pakistan, with 18 of the country’s 20 most underdeveloped districts.
She highlighted the severe military presence in Mashkay, alleging that locals are forced into labor. “All people are summoned to the military camp in the morning, made to work all day, and released at night,” she said.
Dr. Baloch further claimed that in Mashkay, even the position of traffic police is held by an army colonel. “To go to Mashkay or Awaran, you first need to get a visa and have it stamped,” she added.
She asserted that the Baloch people have the primary right over their coast and resources. “The Baloch must protect their coast themselves, and the only solution is Baloch national resistance,” Dr. Baloch declared.
She described Balochistan as a war-torn region where the state is committing cultural and political genocide. “The Gwadar fence is part of this genocidal policy,” she concluded.
The seminar titled “Fencing Gwadar: From Mega Project to Mega Prison” faced significant challenges when police and local administration locked the gates of the Quetta Press Club, reportedly on the directives of military officials, to prevent the event.
BYC members protested by laying siege to the press club for hours and eventually broke the locks to enter the building. They held their seminar in Hall 1 of the press club, which was booked for the seminar.
During the seminar, a heavy police contingent, including SSP Operations and Quetta DIG, cordoned off the press club and the adjacent Quetta Metropolitan Corporation (QMC) office. The police presence remained until the seminar concluded in the late afternoon. However, no arrests were made when BYC leaders left the press club building.
Journalists’ unions condemned the closure of the press club, describing it as an “attack on press freedom” and a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution.
In a statement, the Balochistan Union of Journalists demanded an investigation into what they called “an attack on the freedom of press” and called for upholding the constitutional right to freedom of expression. They claimed that the closure was a conspiracy to silence journalists and vowed to protest against such actions.
The union emphasized their commitment to fulfilling their responsibilities despite threats and challenges, stating that such actions cannot intimidate them.
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari said press clubs were “neutral areas” for “raising voices for those who are victims of state highhandedness.”
They called for the immediate restoration of activities at press clubs, emphasizing that Article 19 of the Constitution protects the right of free speech and expression for every citizen.
“The country is facing the worst kind of media gagging and denial of freedom of expression, and Balochistan is specifically being targeted,” the PFUJ leader said.