In a tragic turn of events, Advocate Qalandar Raza passed away due to a heart attack during a protest in Quetta. The protest was part of a broader movement across Balochistan against the violent crackdown by state forces on the Baloch Yakjehti Committee’s Baloch Raaji Muchi in the coastal city of Gwadar. The attack on the peaceful gathering and subsequent arrests have sparked widespread outrage, leading to demonstrations and strikes across Balochistan.
As the situation escalates, the Pakistan Bar Council, Balochistan Bar Council, Balochistan High Court Bar Association, and other regional bar associations have announced a complete boycott of judicial proceedings in Balochistan. This move aims to protest the state’s actions and demand justice for those affected by the brutal crackdown in Gwadar.
Meanwhile, in anticipation of further protests, the government has taken strict security measures in Quetta. Roads leading to the Red Zone have been blocked with containers, and a heavy contingent of security forces, including Frontier Corps and police, has been deployed. The Red Zone has been sealed off for the past four days, preventing any public access.
These actions come in response to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee’s call for a Balochistan-wide shutter-down strike and protests against the violence in Gwadar. The committee condemned the attacks on convoys and the arrests of participants, urging the people of Balochistan to join the demonstrations. In various cities, citizens responded with strikes and rallies, expressing their solidarity with those affected by the state’s heavy-handed tactics.
As protests continue, the situation in Balochistan remains tense, with a heavy security presence and ongoing demonstrations against the government’s actions in Gwadar.