Pakistani security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters in Quetta on Friday, killing three people and injuring several others, according to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
The incident occurred during a sit-in demonstration organised by the BYC outside Balochistan University to demand the release of forcibly disappeared individuals, including rights activist Bebarg Baloch, his brother Dr Hammal Baloch, and others.
The BYC said the protest turned violent when police and security forces launched a crackdown, using live ammunition, baton charges, and tear gas against unarmed demonstrators, including women and children.
“The peaceful sit-in was met with sheer, calculated brutality,” BYC leader Sammi Deen Baloch said on X. “Live rounds were fired at unarmed civilians. Tear gas and shelling continued. Protesters—young and old, men and women—were dragged, beaten, and arrested.”
According to the BYC, two protesters died on the spot, while a third succumbed to injuries at Civil Hospital Quetta. More than 35 people were reportedly injured, seven of them critically. The group said over a hundred protesters were detained, with many still unaccounted for.
According to local sources, ambulances were not allowed to enter the area after the firing. Injured protesters were transported to the hospital through self-help efforts.
“Quetta police opened fire on the BYC protest. The injured were taken to hospital by fellow protesters, while ambulances were blocked from entering the area. Police continue to surround the hospitals,” local sources said.
Protesters Stage Sit-In with the Bodies
Following the killings, the bodies of the victims were brought to Munir Ahmed Road in Quetta, where a large sit-in protest is now underway.
“The people of Quetta have come out of their homes. A sit-in is being held along with the bodies of the martyrs,” BYC’s Dr. Mahrang Baloch said.
The BYC has appealed to the public to join the protest and called for a region-wide shutter-down and wheel-jam strike across Balochistan on Saturday.
“In response to the state’s terrorism and brutality, we announce a complete shutdown across Balochistan. Tomorrow, businesses will remain closed, and transport will come to a halt,” the group said in a statement.
If Roads Are Blocked, the State Will Take Action
The Government of Balochistan defended the police action, accusing the protesters of blocking highways.
Government spokesperson Shahid Rind claimed the BYC “blocked the national highway, causing difficulties for passengers traveling from Karachi and other cities.”
He added that police “acted in accordance with the law” after protesters “assaulted police officers,” including female personnel.
Rind further questioned the identity of the bodies placed on the road by protesters and accused them of disturbing public order. “No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands. If anyone does so, the government will act,” he said.
Continued Crackdown and Communication Blackout
Meanwhile, in Quetta’s Sariab area, Pakistani forces have reportedly launched large-scale search operations, raiding homes and detaining more protesters.
Mobile networks and internet services remain suspended in Quetta, cutting off communication and hindering reporting from the ground.
Human Rights Groups Condemn the Crackdown
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed grave alarm over the situation, urging an immediate halt to the use of force.
“HRCP is gravely alarmed by the escalating situation in Quetta, where increasing casualties have been reported among protestors demanding an end to enforced disappearances and the illegal use of force,” the commission said.
It called on authorities to “immediately cease using force against peaceful protestors, release those arbitrarily detained, and end the use of disproportionate and unlawful kinetic means.”
In a separate statement, Amnesty International condemned the crackdown as a “shocking indictment” of Pakistan’s disregard for human life.
“The alarming news of at least three deaths and nearly a dozen injuries following live ammunition fired by the security forces today against peaceful Baloch protesters in Quetta is a shocking indictment of the Pakistani authorities’ utter disregard for human life,” Amnesty said.
“In blatant violation of the right to protest, the authorities conducted mass arrests and fired tear gas before resorting to unlawful use of lethal weapons against unarmed protesters. Mobile networks in the city remain suspended, hindering the free flow of information.”
Amnesty urged the authorities to “immediately stop the reckless crackdown, guarantee the right to peaceful assembly, release all those detained solely for exercising their right to protest, and investigate the unlawful use of force.
The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) also strongly condemned the violence, particularly the killing of a child.
“Police opened fire on demonstrators, used baton charges and heavy tear gas, and carried out mass arrests. We hold the state of Pakistan fully responsible for this crime and call on the international community to intervene to stop these escalating human rights violations,” HRCB said.
Human rights activists have described the crackdown as “open warfare against the Baloch people.” Sammi Deen Baloch appealed to international human rights bodies and global civil society for urgent intervention.
“We ask the world not to turn away. The people of Balochistan are under siege. We need international observers, lawyers, and media to document this violence and hold Pakistan accountable,” she said.