Three leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC)—Sammi Deen Baloch, Dr. Sabiha Baloch, and Sibghatullah Abdul Haq—have been released following their detention by Pakistani forces, after international pressure from human rights organizations and public outcry in Balochistan.
On Monday, the BYC reported that Pakistani forces had forcibly abducted the leaders, including Sammi Deen Baloch, Dr. Sabiha Baloch, and Sibghat Abdul Haq Baloch. Witnesses reported that the leaders were beaten, tortured, and dragged into vehicles during the crackdown.
In light of the situation, international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Front Line Defenders, called for an end to the clampdown and urged the immediate release of the organizers.
On Tuesday, the BYC announced that following widespread condemnation and public pressure, the leaders have been released. However, the BYC noted that over 200 participants from the Gwadar sit-in remain detained, with no information provided about their status.
The Deputy Commissioner of Gwadar dismissed the reports of the arrests of BYC leaders as rumors, stating that the news of women being arrested or injured during the event was baseless.
After her release, Dr. Sabiha Baloch provided a detailed account of the current conditions in Gwadar during a press conference on Wednesday.
“Gwadar is under curfew, with military forces surrounding the city. The internet and electricity have been shut down, markets are closed, and the borders are completely sealed. The prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed, and everything is at a standstill,” she said.
Dr. Baloch described the aftermath of the crackdown, alleging that FC personnel raided the homes of Baloch Yakjehti Committee members, causing damage and detaining elderly individuals, children, and others present. She stated that the fate of those captured remains unknown.
She emphasized that state officials, both in uniform and plainclothes, are spreading terror throughout Gwadar. “A search operation is underway in the entire city, and it has been reported that approximately 20 people involved in the Raaji Muchi have been killed, and hundreds are missing,” she added.
Dr. Baloch continued, “The fate of those captured remains unknown, and it is uncertain who has survived, who has been detained, and who has managed to escape. Today, I am holding this press conference to convey this message to the world, in case any of us survive. Our nation is facing brutal oppression and violence.”
“Our land has been subjected to systematic genocide for years in various ways. The worst part is that this genocide is being concealed through different tactics, and our political voice is being suppressed daily,” Dr. Baloch said.
She further explained, “The purpose of our movement, which highlighted this genocide, was to show how the Pakistani state violates human rights and crushes the common people with impunity. We have received countless unidentified bodies from mass graves and thousands of mutilated bodies under the guise of policy. We have been forced into living conditions designed to kill us.”
Dr. Baloch urged international community to hold the Pakistani state accountable and to stop all forms of funding to the military. “The entire Pakistani state operates under military dictatorship; there is no law or authority to stop this brutality. The media, parliament, and courts all speak the military’s language,” she said.
She called for unity among the Baloch people and continued peaceful protests. “Despite the events of yesterday, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee continues its struggle. We will make every effort to keep the movement alive,” Dr. Baloch affirmed.
Dr. Baloch concluded her press conference with an appeal to the people of Balochistan: “The Baloch people should continue peaceful protests in every area, street, and alley. I urge all of you, by the sacrifices of our martyrs, to strengthen our unity. The Pakistani state and its supporters have been, are, and will remain responsible for the atrocities committed against us, from direct killings to enforced disappearances. They must be held accountable for these crimes.”