Amnesty demands end to ‘systematic attacks, relentless crackdown’ on Baloch activists

International human rights organisation Amnesty International on Thursday demanded of the government that it end the “systematic attacks and relentless crackdown” on Baloch activists recently protesting against alleged enforced disappearances and other human rights issues.

Last Friday evening, police used tear gas, water cannons, and blank shots to disperse Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) protesters staging a sit-in in Quetta, with both the provincial government and BYC reporting casualties — BYC claiming three dead and 13 injured, while police reported around 10 personnel hurt.

The arrest of BYC chief organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch under terror charges with 150 others sparked shutter-down strikes in various cities of Balochistan. In Karachi, BYC leader Sammi Baloch was detained for protesting and later held for disturbing public order despite a judicial magistrate ordering her release with four activists detained.

In a statement issued today, Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty’s deputy regional director for South Asia, said: “Pakistani authorities must immediately release all Baloch activists being detained simply for exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Amnesty reiterates its call for a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into the use of unlawful force during the March 21 peaceful protests and ensure those responsible are held to account and the violations are effectively remedied.”

He said the “relentless crackdown” on Baloch activists over the past week and their continued detention signified a “systematic attack on the rights of [the] Baloch community”.

Pant said Amnesty was concerned by reports from family members that Mahrang and Bebarg Zehri, noting that he was someone with disabilities, were not being given access to medical assistance “despite their health severely deteriorating during custody”.

The official rued that the “weaponisation of the legal system, through multiple bogus first information reports” and preventative detentions under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, despite the activists being granted bail, was a “gross violation” of their right to due process and fair trial.

“It shows wanton disregard by the law enforcement agencies for the rights of Baloch people under Pakistan’s Constitution and the country’s obligations under international human rights law,” Amnesty noted.

The censuring statement comes a day after independent UN experts made similar demands of the government.

However, the Foreign Office (FO) had rubbished the statement from the UN experts and said their comments were based on “selective and unverified media reports” and lacked “balance and proportionality.”

The FO spokesperson reiterated the same in his weekly press briefing today and justified the government’s approach to the protests so far.