The leadership of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) called off its two-week-long protest in Gwadar and other areas of Balochistan following successful negotiations with government officials late on Thursday night.
In a media statement, the BYC announced that the government had agreed to meet its key demands, prompting the “Baloch Raaji Muchi” caravan to depart from Gwadar and travel to Quetta. Along the way, the caravan will hold gatherings in various regions to honor those who lost their lives during the protests.
On Friday, the caravan reached Turbat, where thousands gathered at Fida Shaheed Chowk for a rally. Dr. Mahrang Baloch, along with other prominent leaders, addressed the large crowd, which included a significant number of women and men.
Dr. Baloch emphasized that while the sit-in had ended, their broader movement was just beginning. She urged the Baloch people to remain united and committed to their cause in the face of “ongoing oppression, injustice, and enforced disappearances.”
Reflecting on the significance of the rally in Turbat, Dr. Baloch noted, “If we had not been united yesterday, we would not be witnessing this moment today. We must continue to see every Baloch as our own; this collective consciousness will keep us strong and organized.”
Sammi Deen Baloch, General Secretary of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), highlighted the state’s attempts to prevent the Baloch National Gathering through violence and intimidation. She praised the resilience of the Baloch people, who maintained their protest for 13 days despite these challenges.
“The state turned Balochistan into a red zone, deploying its full machinery to thwart ‘Baloch Raaji Muchi,'” she said. “But your determination proved that this land is our motherland, not a red zone.”
Meanwhile, the BYC announced that the caravan would leave Turbat on August 10, heading first to Greesha and then on to Soorab and Noshki, where further memorial gatherings will be held. The final stop will be in Quetta on August 12, where the movement will honor the “martyrs of Baloch Raaji Muchi.”
In a related development, several organizers and participants of the Baloch National Gathering, who had been detained by security forces, were released on Friday. Among those released were Muhammad Baloch, Bibarg Jattak, Jiand Baloch, and other activists.
The BYC also reported that Pakistani forces had demolished the “Symbol of Baloch Genocide,” a memorial at the sit-in protest outside Balochistan University. The BYC condemned the act, describing it as an attempt to erase the history of Baloch suffering.
“This was not just an attack on a memorial,” the BYC said, “but a direct assault on the collective memory of the Baloch Nation. Despite such actions, our resolve remains unshaken.”