Family members and residents protested in Pasni, Balochistan, on Friday against the killing of schoolteacher Parvez Mazar, accusing Pakistani forces of sheltering suspects named in the case and threatening to block the Makran Coastal Highway unless action was taken.
According to local sources, the slain teacher’s family, including his children, joined residents in a demonstration outside the Pasni Press Club, demanding that those responsible for his killing be brought to justice.
Parvez Mazar, an Arabic-language teacher at Government High School Babbar Shor, was found dead in Pasni on Wednesday, a day after he was allegedly abducted in front of his family.
Read More | Schoolteacher Found Dead in Pasni a Day After Alleged Abduction in Front of Family
His relatives accused members of an armed group they described as a state-backed “death squad” of abducting him and taking him to a private torture cell, where they alleged he was held and subsequently killed.
The term “death squad” is widely used by Baloch rights groups and activists to describe armed groups they accuse of operating with the backing or protection of Pakistani state institutions and targeting civilians, political activists and human rights defenders.
The protesters alleged that suspects named in the First Information Report (FIR) were being sheltered by Pakistani forces and demanded that they be handed over to the police.
They warned that if their demands were not met, they would stage a sit-in at Pasni Zero Point and block the Makran Coastal Highway.
Addressing the demonstration, protesters called on state institutions to take action against armed groups they accused of abducting, torturing and killing civilians while operating under the names of Pakistani forces and other state institutions.
Women participating in the protest said the activities of such groups were fuelling resentment among local communities towards Pakistani forces and state institutions, urging the authorities to take immediate measures to stop them.
The slain teacher’s children also appealed to senior police officials to arrest those responsible for their father’s killing and ensure justice.