A young protester, Jahanzaib Baloch, sustained severe injuries when a truck rammed into a sit-in protest at Hoshap Zero Point on the CPEC highway in Kech district on Saturday. According to witnesses, Jahanzaib, a resident of Balgatar, suffered critical injuries to both legs and other parts of his body.
The sit-in, organized by the families of forcibly disappeared individuals, has blocked the highway for over a week, disrupting traffic along the route. Protesters are demanding the immediate release of Zaman Jan and Abul Hassan, who they allege were abducted by Pakistani authorities on December 16, 2024.
According to the families, Zaman Jan, son of Sepahan, and Abul Hassan, son of Rehmat, were handed over to Pakistani forces by Kech District Council Chairman Hothman. A third individual detained with them, Altaf, was released two days later.
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On January 1, 2025, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) announced the arrests of Zaman and Abul Hassan in Qila Abdullah, accusing them of possessing hand grenades and having ties to an armed group. The families have dismissed these allegations as “fabricated,” insisting the men were forcibly disappeared weeks earlier in Kech.
Prominent activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch condemned the truck attack on X , calling it “a heinous act amounting to attempted murder” and “a reprehensible violation of the protesters’ rights.”
She expressed solidarity with the families and reiterated their version of events, accusing authorities of fabricating charges to justify unlawful detentions. “The CTD’s claims are baseless; the two men were abducted from the residence of the District Council Chairman in Kech,” she said.
Despite the violent incident, the families vowed to continue their protest until Zaman and Abul Hassan are released and justice is served. They also called on human rights organizations, civil society, and international bodies to intervene and hold those responsible accountable.