Dr. Shalee Baloch, the central organizer of the Baloch Women Forum (BWF), was reportedly arrested on Friday along with her colleagues in Gwadar, the coastal city of Balochistan.
According to reports, Dr. Baloch and her team were en route to raise awareness about BWF’s upcoming conference titled “State Crackdown on Baloch Political Parties and Contemporary Issues in Balochistan,” scheduled to be held on July 27 at the Gwadar Press Club. The arrests allegedly occurred at Surbandar, a public site near Gwadar, where the team had arrived for pre-conference mobilization activities.
There has been no official confirmation or statement from the authorities regarding the arrests. As of now, neither the local administration nor law enforcement agencies have acknowledged the detention.
Dr. Shalee Baloch is a prominent social and political activist known for her outspoken advocacy on Baloch women’s rights, access to education, and enforced disappearances. She has also been at the forefront of encouraging women’s participation in political and civic life in Balochistan.
Her organization, the Baloch Women Forum, is a women-led initiative that works to promote education, justice, and awareness among women in some of Balochistan’s most underserved and remote regions.
The arrest has sparked concern among human rights observers and political circles, as it comes just days before the planned conference aimed at addressing critical issues facing the Baloch society.