Police in Balochistan’s Hub opened fire on demonstrators and made several arrests during a protest organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) on Saturday, amid growing public outrage over the alleged extrajudicial killing of a young activist, Zeeshan Zaheer.
According to the BYC Lasbela region, the demonstration in Hub Chowki was part of a province-wide protest campaign against what the group described as the “cold-blooded, state-backed killing of a young activist.” The protest turned violent when police, accompanied by plainclothes officers and local administration officials, attempted to forcibly disperse the crowd.
“Police opened fire in an attempt to break up the peaceful demonstration,” the BYC said in a statement. “Several individuals were injured, and many protesters, including family members of forcibly disappeared persons, were arrested.”
The BYC condemned the use of force, calling it a violation of fundamental rights. “The right to peaceful protest and assembly is a constitutional and internationally recognized human right,” the BYC said. “Suppressing it through violence is both immoral and unlawful.”
The organisation accused SSP Hub Fazal Shah, Deputy Commissioner Nisar Ahmed, and Member of Provincial Assembly Mir Ali Hassan of being responsible for the incident. It alleged that the three officials have become “facilitators of ongoing state atrocities” in the region.
The BYC called on the Baloch public and human rights organizations to raise their voices against what it described as “inhumane actions by state forces” in Hub. It also vowed to continue its peaceful struggle, stating that it would not be silenced by “oppressive tactics.”
Saturday’s protest was part of a broader campaign launched by the BYC in response to the killing of Zeeshan Zaheer. Demonstrations have been held in Panjgur, Karachi, Dalbandin, Turbat, Kharan, and Nushki, while a complete shutdown was observed in Chaghi and surrounding areas.
According to his family, Zeeshan Zaheer was abducted on 29 June near the Nivan Nadi area of Panjgur. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Kifayatullah Baloch, a relative of Zeeshan, said he was taken by armed men in two black Surf vehicles shortly after returning from a football match.
“He had no affiliation with any group. He was an athlete and a responsible member of our family,” Kifayatullah said. “We immediately filed an FIR and took to the streets in protest, hoping to bring him back safely. But the next morning, we received his bullet-riddled and tortured body.”
He added that Zeeshan’s only “crime” was that he peacefully demanded the return of his father, Zaheer Ahmed, who was forcibly disappeared ten years ago.
“Today, the entire city of Panjgur is asking: was this the fate deserved by a young man who never took up arms, never spread hate, and who always believed in the rule of law?” Kifayatullah said. “We are not merely expressing grief. We are demanding justice.”