In Balochistan’s capital Quetta, police violently dispersed a peaceful protest demanding the recovery of forcibly disappeared Zaheer Ahmed and other Baloch missing persons.
The protest, led by Zaheer’s family and supported by various groups, entered its 11th day on Thursday. Police used tear gas, baton charges, and opened fire, resulting in multiple injuries, including among women and children. Several protesters were also arrested.
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Eyewitnesses reported that police initiated the baton charge and later opened fire, causing severe injuries. Mahrang Baloch, a prominent activist and organizer of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), condemned the police actions on social media, stating, “Zaheer Baloch’s family has been protesting for his recovery for the last 11 days at Sariab Road, Quetta. Today, a rally was held, but peaceful protesters, including women and children, were subjected to police violence and many were arrested.”
She further criticized the state, saying, “This state seems to believe that violence is the answer to every problem. They violate their own constitution and laws by forcibly disappearing citizens, while their families protest these unconstitutional and illegal actions. Instead of dialogue and addressing the issue, the state responds with violence against women and children, arresting them. If the state believes it can silence the people through coercion and brutality, it stands on the wrong side of history,” she added.
Another prominent Baloch activist, Sammi Deen Baloch, stated on X, “A rally was held today in Quetta by the family members of Zaheer Baloch, who forcibly disappeared on June 24th. Participants, including women and children, were beaten and tortured, and several were arrested by Quetta police.”
“The family members of Zaheer Baloch have been protesting for the last ten days, but the government did not consider their demands. Today, once again, state authorities used force to disperse peaceful protests and silence dissenting voices,” she added.
Women Protesters Begin Hunger Strike
Baloch women arrested during the protest started a hunger strike inside the police van, demanding the recovery of Zaheer Baloch, the release of all arrested protesters, and the return of their confiscated mobile phones.
Activists Beebow Baloch, Fauzia Baloch, and others are participating in the hunger strike. Reports indicate that they were transferred to Civil Lines police station, where one of the women reportedly fainted.
Mahrang Baloch highlighted the dire conditions faced by the detained women on X, saying, “Several Baloch women are currently imprisoned in the Civil Lines police station. Many are in very poor health due to violence and baton charges. The Quetta police are not allowing us to meet these women or transfer them to a hospital for treatment.”
Mahrang Baloch further criticized the authorities, saying, “The state, the Balochistan government, and the Quetta police have no idea what they are doing. Any consequences that arise from treating women in this manner within Baloch society will be the sole responsibility of the state.”
She called on the people of Quetta to support the struggle for their sisters and join the sit-in on Sariab Road. “If all the protesters, including the women, are not released, the sit-in will be held in front of the Red Zone,” she added.
Condemnation and Judicial Boycott
Political, social, and human rights organizations have strongly condemned the police actions and are calling for accountability. The Balochistan Bar Council announced a boycott of court proceedings across Balochistan on Friday in response to the police actions.
The council denounced the incidents of firing, shelling, and violence against women protesters. In a statement, the council declared that a judicial boycott throughout Balochistan will take place on July 12, 2024, to protest against the increasing state violence and to demand justice for the families of Baloch missing persons and Pashtun activist Gilaman Wazir.
The Human Rights Council of Pakistan (HRCP) also condemned the violent treatment of Baloch protesters. In a post on X, the HRCP stated, “HRCP strongly condemns the violent treatment meted out to protesters in Quetta, including women, who were rallying against the alleged enforced disappearance of Zaheer Baloch, a postal worker from Quetta who was abducted by unidentified persons on June 27.”
HRCP emphasized that despite ongoing reports of enforced disappearances, particularly from Balochistan, the state has not shown a firm resolve to end this practice. Instead, it has invariably resorted to violence to stifle protests against enforced disappearances, violating the constitutional right to assemble peacefully. HRCP called for Zaheer Baloch to be traced promptly and for his abductors to be held accountable.
The Baloch Women Forum (BWF), a social organization advocating for women’s rights in Balochistan, condemned the incident. “State institutions are allowed to commit violations without accountability, which shows a clear intent to oppress the Baloch as a nation. We condemn the incident and stand in solidarity with the protesting families,” the BWF stated.
The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) also issued a statement on X: “We strongly condemn the brutal police crackdown on a peaceful rally in Quetta, Balochistan. Families and supporters of forcibly disappeared Zaheer Ahmed were met with tear gas, baton charges, and gunfire, resulting in many injuries. Women and even those providing aid were tortured and detained. This is a blatant violation, and the Pakistani government has a history of dispersing peaceful protests with force.”
Ongoing Sit-In Despite Police Violence
Despite a heavy-handed police crackdown, the protest demanding the recovery of Zaheer Baloch and other missing persons continues in Quetta. On Thursday night, under the leadership of Dr. Mahrang Baloch, protesters managed to reach the Red Zone and began a sit-in. Security forces reportedly used tear gas again but failed to disperse the large crowd, which had grown significantly due to the support from Quetta residents joining the protest.
In solidarity with the Quetta protesters, families of other Baloch missing persons and activists organized a shutter-down strike in the Sariab area of Quetta on Thursday. Simultaneously, residents of Mastung started a sit-in on the highway near Mastung.
In the early hours of Friday, Dr. Mahrang Baloch emphasized the protesters’ resilience and determination in a post on X. She wrote, “Today in Quetta, despite all the state repression and fascism, the sit-in for the recovery of forcibly disappeared Zaheer Baloch continues at Secretariat Chowk. Even at this late hour, innocent Baloch children, women, and elders are present at the sit-in with high spirits. If there were even a shred of rationality in this state, it would have understood by now that public struggle cannot be suppressed by force. Instead, the use of force will only intensify it further. Today, it has been proven that this is a group devoid of reason.”
She added, “The courage of these mothers and children standing firm against state repression and fascism today has dealt a severe blow to the arrogance of this state. Now, this struggle will rise further, spread wider, and continue until the day we completely eliminate this fascism and repression from our land. Victory will belong to the Baloch people.”
The police violence against Baloch protesters, mainly women, has sparked widespread outrage, leading to further protests anticipated across Balochistan on Friday and over the weekend. This growing unrest underscores the broader issue of enforced disappearances and deep-seated grievances in Balochistan, exacerbated by the state’s aggressive response.