Demonstrators gathered in Surab have continued their sit-in for the fourth consecutive day, blocking the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) road in protest against enforced disappearances and alleged human rights violations in Balochistan. The protest, organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) Jhalawan region and the families of the missing persons, is demanding justice and an end to what they describe as ‘systematic repression’ by the state.
During a press conference at the protest site, the demonstrators accused security forces of forcibly disappearing Baloch youth, asserting that enforced disappearances had become a state policy. “Every day, another Baloch youth is taken away without any accountability. The state institutions are not only responsible for these abductions but are also using violence and intimidation to suppress voices that speak against this oppression,” a protest leader stated.
The protestors highlighted the presence of families of 12 individuals who have been forcibly disappeared. The missing persons identified by the demonstrators include:
- Mujeeb ur Rehman s/o Muhammad Anwar
- Ateeq ur Rehman s/o Abdul Qadir
- Muhammad Hayat s/o Muhammad Umar
- Hafiz Siraj Ahmed s/o Deen Muhammad
- Zahid Ahmed s/o Abdul Hameed
- Yasir Ahmed s/o Gul Muhammad
- Zakaria Baloch s/o Saadullah
- Naveed Ahmed Baloch s/o Abdul Rasheed
- Muhammad Shafiq Baloch s/o Muhammad Hayat
- Fazal Baloch s/o Ghulam Razaq
- Nasrullah Baloch s/o Muhammad Amin
- Shah Istakhan Baloch s/o Badal Khan
The protesters also condemned the use of force by the authorities to break up the demonstration. They claimed that security forces, including police, Levies, and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, were deployed in Surab from across Kalat Division in an attempt to dismantle the sit-in. Despite these efforts, the protest remained steadfast.
According to the demonstrators, security forces resorted to violence, resulting in the killing of Wadera Ghulam Sarwar, allegedly in an attempt to intimidate the movement. “His martyrdom will not weaken our resolve. Instead, our protest has only gained more momentum,” a protester said. Wadera Ghulam Sarwar was a JUI-F leader who was killed in Khuzdar’s tehsil Zehri along with another man when they were coming back from Surab after spending the day with the demonstrators to express solidarity with them. Unidentified gunmen reportedly openend fire on his vehicle in Tarasani, Zehri, killing him on the spot.
The demonstrators said that the sit-in has three key demands:
- The immediate release of all forcibly disappeared persons whose families are present at the protest.
- A permanent end to enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
- An end to the harassment of the families of missing persons and the use of force against peaceful protests.
The protesters announced that the BYC would be holding protest rallies across the Jhalawan region, including in Surab and Khuzdar, urging the public to stand with the affected families. “We call upon the people of Balochistan to leave their homes and join us in this struggle. The state must realize that we will not remain silent in the face of oppression. If our loved ones are not released, our protest will escalate further,” the statement concluded.