Wheel-jam strikes, shutter-down protests, and sit-ins have swept across Balochistan after the arrest of prominent human rights activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch and the violent crackdown on Baloch protesters in Quetta on Friday.
Dr. Baloch, the central organizer of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), was detained during an early-morning police raid on Saturday at a sit-in protest in Quetta, where demonstrators had gathered with the bodies of three people allegedly killed by police gunfire a day earlier.
“Today, at 5:30am, security forces carried out a brutal pre-dawn raid on the sit-in. Baloch women, children, and peaceful protesters were subjected to extreme violence,” the BYC said on X.
Footage of the raid shows police forcibly dispersing protesters, including women, some of whom were seen dragged along the ground. Police also seized the bodies of those killed in Friday’s violence and moved Dr. Baloch and several others to an undisclosed location.
According to activists, Friday’s demonstration began as a peaceful rally, demanding the release of BYC central committee member Bebarg Baloch, his brother Hammal, Dr Ilyas, and others who have been forcibly disappeared, as well as the release of a Baloch female activist Saeeda and several others.
They claim it turned violent when Pakistani security forces deployed live ammunition, tear gas, and water cannons, resulting in three deaths and injuries to more than a dozen others.
Related: Quetta Crackdown: Three Killed as Families Launch Sit-In with Bodies
Shortly after the violence, under Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s leadership, protesters placed the bodies on Sariab Road for an overnight sit-in. At around 5 a.m. on Saturday, police reportedly stormed the site, took custody of the bodies, and arrested multiple protesters, including Dr. Baloch.
In a statement, the BYC condemned the raid as an “act of terrorism” and vowed to continue resisting until all detainees are released.
Meanwhile, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind defended the police action, stating that officers had “acted in accordance with the law” after protesters allegedly attacked police personnel on Friday. He claimed the protesters had blocked a major national highway, causing hardship for travelers.
“No one will be allowed to take the law into their hands. If anyone does so, the government will act,”
Mr. Rind said, also questioning the identity of the bodies used in the protest.
However, eyewitnesses and activists strongly dispute these claims, accusing the authorities of using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators.
Balochistan-Wide Strikes, Protests, and Road Blockades
A wave of wheel-jam strikes, shutter-down protests, and sit-ins has spread across Balochistan in response to Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s arrest and the police violence on Friday.
Markets and commercial centers remained closed in Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Chagai, Nushki, Washuk, Turbat, Panjgur, and Hub Chowki among others. Meanwhile, protesters have erected blockades on major roads.
In Quetta, key routes such as Sariab Road, Qambarani Road, and Brewery Road are blocked, while security forces have sealed off the city’s central zone with containers to prevent further demonstrations.
Similarly, a complete shutter-down strike and wheel jam were observed in Turbat, with the BYC staging a rally and sit-in at Shaheed Fida Chowk.
In the Malikabad area of Turbat, unidentified men on motorcycles fired gunshots at the protesters, who were monitoring the strike, injuring two children. They were rushed to the hospital for medical treatment.
In Kalat, a complete shutter-down strike was observed in protest against the “forcible violence and firing” on BYC protesters in Quetta. The BYC issued a protest declaration on the Quetta-Kalat highway, demanding accountability for the crackdown.
In Nokundi, all commercial centers — both large and small — were closed in protest against police firing, the alleged killing of youths, and the arrests of BYC activists.
In Khuzdar, all business centers were closed as protest rallies took place against the police firing and killing of peaceful protesters in Quetta, as well as the arrests and enforced disappearances of BYC leadership and other activists.
In Hub Chowki, shutter-down strikes, protest rallies, and demonstrations continued in solidarity with protesters across Balochistan. The protests condemned police firing, killings, enforced disappearances, and violence against BYC demonstrators.
In Noshki, a complete shutter-down strike is ongoing in protest against the killings and arrests of peaceful protesters in Quetta.
In Mastung, a complete shutter-down strike was observed against the detention of Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other activists, as well as the police violence during the protests.
In Panjgur, protesters blocked roads and shut down business centers, denouncing police violence, killings, and arrests of BYC protesters in Quetta.
In Naseerabad, protesters blocked roads to denounce the firing and arrests of BYC demonstrators.
Across many other districts of Balochistan, roads remain blocked, businesses shuttered, and life paralyzed as protests continue.
Outside Balochistan, Baloch students held a protest rally in Islamabad. Participants denounced the police firing on Baloch protesters in Quetta, condemning the killing of youths and the detention of several individuals — including women.
Students and people from various walks of life participated in the protest, criticizing the use of force against demonstrators and demanded the immediate release of detained activists.
BYC’s Demands and Threat of Indefinite Shutdown
In response to the crackdown, BYC leadership held a press conference on Saturday, issuing a series of demands.
They called for the immediate and unconditional release of Dr Mahrang, Bebarg and the other arrested members.
The group has also sought the registration of a first information report (FIR) against the Balochistan chief minister and the IGP for the “indiscriminate firing” that resulted in dozens of injuries and the “martyrdom of three individuals” as well as their dismissal from their posts.
The BYC also demanded that the Quetta commissioner and his deputy should be dismissed immediately too.
It further sought that the series of “retaliatory actions against Baloch political activists” must be stopped immediately, and all false cases should be dropped.
“If our comrades are not released, we will seal Balochistan indefinitely. Responsibility will rest entirely with the government,”
the BYC leaders said.
International Condemnation
The arrests and police violence have drawn widespread international condemnation.
Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, expressed alarm at reports of Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s arrest and the crackdown on BYC demonstrators.
“Very concerned by reports that Dr. Mahrang Baloch @MahrangBaloch_ and a number of other HRDs have been arrested in #Balochistan following a crackdown,” she posted on X, urging Pakistani authorities to ensure the safety of those detained.
Environmental activist Greta Thunberg also strongly condemned the forced disappearance of Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other activists, describing Balochistan as a “war zone” under state control.
“They [Pakistani state forces] have abducted Bebarg Baloch… previously targeted in a 2010 military bomb blast,” she wrote on social media.
Thunberg accused Pakistan’s military of ruling Balochistan through “terror,” alleging abductions, torture, and killings of students, academics, and activists. She also condemned the recent police firing on BYC protesters, mentioning at least three deaths and dozens of injuries.
“These atrocities violate Pakistan’s GSP+ trade conditions with the EU… The international community must act and hold Pakistan accountable,” she added, voicing solidarity with the Baloch people’s resistance against oppression.
Front Line Defenders (FLD) also condemned the arrest of Dr. Mahrang Baloch. According to FLD, it took 12 hours before any information about her whereabouts surfaced, and they have since learned that she is held at Hudda District Prison in Quetta.
“FLD calls for her immediate release and an end to the persecution of Baloch HRDs,” the organization said, emphasizing the need to protect human rights defenders.
PEN Norway also expressed deep concern for Dr. Mahrang Baloch, stating she has been held incommunicado since her arrest.
“@GovtofPakistan must immediately provide her with access to legal counsel & unconditionally release her,” PEN Norway wrote on social media. The group underscored that human rights defenders like Dr. Mahrang Baloch should not be detained for exercising their right to free expression.
In a statement on Friday, Amnesty International condemned the crackdown on Baloch protesters in Quetta, describing it as a “shocking indictment” of Pakistan’s disregard for human life.
“The alarming news of at least three deaths and nearly a dozen injuries… is a shocking indictment of the Pakistani authorities’ utter disregard for human life,” Amnesty said, noting that Pakistani police resorted to live ammunition against unarmed protesters.
The rights organization also criticized the mobile network suspension in Quetta, stating it hinders “the free flow of information.”
Amnesty urged Pakistani authorities to “immediately stop the reckless crackdown,” respect the right to peaceful assembly, and release those detained solely for exercising their right to protest. They also called for an investigation into the unlawful use of force on demonstrators.