Balochistan ‘ablaze’, law and order at critical level: Baloch activist

Quetta, July 10 (IANS) Sammi Deen Baloch, a member of the human rights organisation Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), alleged that Balochistan is currently “ablaze”, with the law and order situation in the province deteriorating to an alarmingly critical level.

She claimed that several areas in the province, including Ziarat, are now engulfed in violence and unrest, and the situation has now spread to the outskirts of the provincial capital Quetta as well as the Hanna Urak area.

Slamming the Pakistani authorities over the worsening situation in the province, Sammi took to X and posted: “Instead of reviewing the root causes of this grave security crisis, the federal government, its controlled media, the puppet provincial government in Balochistan, and its social media brigade are relentlessly engaged in blaming Baloch and Pashtun nationalists, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee and its leadership, and peaceful human rights activists for the unrest.”

Expressing grave concern, the Baloch human rights activist said that neither the media, nor civil society, nor other relevant circles are holding the Pakistani government accountable for its “anti-people policies, security failures, corruption, poor governance, failure to establish the rule of law, and failure to fulfil its responsibilities in protecting citizens’ lives and property”.

“On the contrary, questions are being directed at those who speak out for peace, justice, and human rights. In a democratic and civilised society, in the face of such grave failures, it is expected that responsible officials accept their accountability and resign from their positions; yet here, instead of taking responsibility, accusations are being levelled at others,” Sammi added.

Meanwhile, the BYC expressed serious concern over what it described as “retaliatory actions” by Pakistani forces against the family of Asghar Ali, a resident of Jiwani in Balochistan’s Gwadar district, following his enforced disappearance.

“It was not deemed sufficient to forcibly disappear a young man; instead, his family members are also being continuously subjected to state repression. Repeated raids on homes, harassing family members, coercing statements through enforced pressure, and ultimately demolishing homes with heavy machinery represent the continuation of the Baloch genocide policy, whose aim is to punish every individual of the Baloch nation and plunge Baloch society into collective torment and anguish,” the BYC stated.

The rights body further claimed that several other residences in the region were also demolished, describing the actions as clear evidence that collective punishment has been institutionalised as official state policy.

Over the past several months, the BYC said, there has been a sharp increase in incidents of Pakistani forces burning, breaking, and demolishing homes with heavy machinery, while looting property across Balochistan.

“Forcibly evicting any ordinary citizen from their home without legal justification or a court order, forcing family members to stand in the scorching sun, and demolishing their home in front of them is an example of the worst state repression. Making the Baloch homeland unbearable for the Baloch is nothing short of Baloch genocide,” it added.

–IANS

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