Sit-in protests by families of forcibly disappeared Baloch individuals and detained activists of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) continued outside press clubs in Islamabad and Karachi on Thursday.
In Islamabad, a long-running sit-in against political arrests and enforced disappearances entered its 37th day. Protesters alleged that police harassment and obstruction had continued throughout the demonstration.
They said their demands included the immediate release of all individuals affiliated with the BYC, as well as an end to the broader practice of enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
“The state wants to see the Baloch give up in exhaustion, but it does not realize that Baloch resistance is centuries old,” protesters said. “A nation that has endured enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the worst forms of oppression will fight for its rights until its last breath.”
In a statement, the BYC said that five months had passed since the “unlawful” arrest of its leadership, including Dr. Mahrang Baloch and several other senior members. It accused the state of using arrests, enforced disappearances and violence to silence political voices in Balochistan.
The group alleged that the judiciary had “openly demonstrated its bias” by failing to release its leaders or prove charges against them. It said that even in detention, Dr Baloch and her companions remained “symbols of resilience and resistance.”
The BYC also appealed to the international community and human rights organizations to take notice, warning that silence in the face of repression would only allow atrocities to continue.
Meanwhile, in Karachi, the parents of Zahid Ali Baloch have been holding a sit-in outside the Karachi Press Club for 17 days, despite heavy rain.
Speaking to journalists, Zahid’s father, Abdul Hameed Baloch, said he had pursued both protest and legal action. He said that after a petition was filed in the Sindh High Court, police registered a First Information Report (FIR) on the court’s orders.
“If there are any charges or accusations against my son, he should be presented before a court in accordance with the Constitution and the law,” he said.
The family said they would continue their protest in all weather conditions until Zahid was released.
Zahid Ali Baloch was reportedly forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces in Karachi on 17 July 2025. Since then, his parents have staged continuous protests demanding his recovery.