As tensions rise in Balochistan ahead of the scheduled Baloch Raaji Muchi gathering on July 28, significant disruptions and a crackdown by Pakistani authorities have been reported. In the coastal city of Gwadar, internet services have been completely shut down, and similar measures have now been extended to Turbat. Various roads and main highways have been closed for travel throughout Makran and in Hub Chowki in an attempt to stop the mass processions of people heading to Gwadar to participate in the gathering.
Shah Ji, a leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, confirmed the internet blackout in Gwadar, noting that the entire communication network is down, causing widespread chaos. He added that many travelers are stranded at the Talar checkpoint, where the Frontier Corps (FC) has restricted movement.
Police Raids and Arrests
In Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, police have arrested eleven members and supporters of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee in a crackdown. The committee has been organizing the Baloch Raaji Muchi, and the arrests are seen as an effort to stifle the gathering. Security forces have been deployed extensively, and roads leading to the protest sites have been blocked with containers. The local administration has enforced Section 144, prohibiting gatherings and protests in the Red Zone area.
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Authorities have also conducted raids in various other districts, including the Mangochar tehsil of Kalat, where several individuals, identified as Amanullah Longove, Abdul Ahad Longove, and Abrar Ahmed Longove, were detained and taken to the local police station. In Quetta, Shoaib Jatak, Mubarak Jatak, and Usama Jatak were detained in the Lore Karez area, and a driver named Sattar Qambarani was also arrested. Further detentions in Quetta include Hafiz Aslam and Amir Rodeni, who were taken from their homes and remain missing.
Additionally, Pakistani forces and intelligence agencies detained five individuals on Friday night, including Jeeyand Baloch, Chairman of the Baloch Students Organization (BSO), and another BSO member identified as Sherbaz Baloch.
The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) reportedly raided the Jamia Islamia Siddiqa in Killi Pirkani Abad in Quetta’s Hazar Ganji to apprehend Maulana Khalil Ullah for his support of the Baloch Raaji Muchi. The intended detainee was not present in the seminary at the time of the raid, and the forces detained his brother Ahsan Ullah and a young student Tanveer. The two detainees were moved to an undisclosed location.
Road Blockades and Travel Disruptions
In the industrial city of Hub, on the main highway connecting Karachi, Quetta, and Makran, authorities have set up containers to block the road at Daru Hotel. This has caused long lines of vehicles and left thousands of passengers stranded. Similar roadblocks have been reported at Sultan Charhai near Nushki, where tankers have been used to obstruct the path. These measures are being taken to stop the processions of individuals from Hub Chowki and Karachi who are traveling to Gwadar en masse to participate in the Baloch Raaji Muchi.
Protests and Government Response
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee has condemned the use of state force against peaceful participants, warning that the administration and government would be held responsible for any harm to the participants. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti and the provincial police had previously announced that the state’s authority would not be challenged and that force would be used to prevent the Baloch Raaji Muchi. Following this announcement, numerous detentions have been made, roads have been blocked, and convoys heading to the gathering have been obstructed.
The situation remains tense as the Baloch Raaji Muchi approaches, with widespread disruptions and a heavy security presence across Balochistan.