The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has strongly condemned the arrest of prominent social activist Gulzar Dost, describing it as part of a broader state campaign to silence dissenting voices in Balochistan.
According to BYC, Dost, who also serves as convener of Kech Civil Society, was detained by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) during a raid on his home in Turbat in the early hours of Monday morning. He was later presented before a court and charged with what the group described as “fabricated and politically motivated” cases.
“Gulzar Dost is a peaceful and public-minded individual,” BYC said in a statement on X. “He has consistently spoken on behalf of families of the disappeared, victims of extrajudicial killings, and those suffering from state repression. His only ‘crime’ is that he chose to stand with the oppressed rather than remain silent, something the state refuses to tolerate.”
The group accused the CTD of operating as a repressive arm of the state in Balochistan, stating that it has become “a weapon used against those engaged in truth-telling and resistance politics.”
“Raiding homes without legal justification, disappearing individuals, and filing false charges are part of a sustained campaign to silence the Baloch people,” the statement added.
BYC demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Gulzar Dost and called the charges against him baseless. The committee warned that repression and intimidation would not succeed in silencing political activism in Balochistan.
“If the state believes it can create silence in Balochistan by targeting political activists, it is gravely mistaken,” BYC said. “We stand with Gulzar Dost at every level and will continue to raise our voice until he is released.”