Pakistan: People block Turbat-Karachi route in protest against enforced disappearances
Feb 01, 2024
Turbat [Pakistan], February 1 : A group of protestors blocked the main route of Turbat to Karachi on Thursday demanding the release of enforcedly disappeared people by the Pakistan authorities.
The protest is being carried out by six families of the victims. They also urged other people to join in the sit-in.
"The main route of Turbat to Karachi has been blocked at D Baloch by the family members of enforcedly disappeared persons at Turbat. There are currently 6 families at the Sit-In and more families are coming to join them. We, on behalf of the family members, request everyone to join the Sit-In and help raise voice for their beloved ones," the Baloch Yakjahti Committee posted on X.
It also shared the list of individuals whose release is being demanded by the protesting families: Abid Washdil, Adeel Iqbal, Ahmed Nazeer, Shoaib Laiquait, Jahanzaib Fazal and Zareeef Mohammad Bakhsh.
https://x.com/BYCKech/status/1752973699559440469?s=20
In a separate incident, a student named Mehboob, from a passenger bus in the Gwadar district of Balochistan was "whisked away" by the Pakistan security forces.
Following the incident, Baloch students blocked the road in protest, resulting in several passenger vehicles stranded. Speaking to the TBP correspondent, Mehboob's fellow students demanded his immediate release and warned that if their demands were not met promptly, they would expand their protest further across Balochistan.
The Balochistan Post further reported that Pakistani forces have detained another youth from the Kharan district of Balochistan and subsequently moved to an undisclosed location.
According to reports, the paramilitary Frontier Corps, along with Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel, raided a house in the Kharan district on the intervening nights of Tuesday and Wednesday after which a Baloch youth is missing, The Balochistan Post reported.
Recently, Pakistan witnessed a long march organised by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee against the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances of Baloch people. On December 6, 2023, the families of victims and Baloch activists began their march from Balochistan's Turbat towards Islamabad.
According to the Human Rights Department of the Balochistan National Movement (BNM), PAANK, enforced disappearances are occurring daily, with an average of three people being abducted by Pakistani forces from different parts of Balochistan every day, The Balochistan Post reported.
