Unveiling Cases of Harassment, Intimidation and misinformation campaign against Baloch March and its participants

The Baloch march that started as a result of a staged fake encounter of Balach Mola Bakhsh and three others from Turbat has gained massive attention throughout Balochistan and worldwide. Various tragic events have been witnessed since the day first when sit -In was staged at Shaeed Fida Chowk Turbat. 

The Turbat administration harassed and threatened the protestors and the family of the martyr Balach to disband the sit-In. Turbat District Chairman, Hothman, known for involvement in drug trafficking and as a member of a death squad, threatened the protesters. Initially, Balach's sister Najma was detained and forced to take money to halt the sit-in. However, the protesters steadfastly refused to surrender and bravely confronted such tactics.

Caretaker government officials, particularly spokesperson Jan Achakzai, have accused peaceful protesters of being sympathizers of terrorism without providing any concrete evidence. Such statements are commonly employed by government officials to rationalize the inhumane acts of extrajudicial killings of Baloch youths. Furthermore, Jan Achakzai extends these accusations to Dr. Mahrang Baloch, one of the leaders of the ongoing movement, making various baseless allegations. These accusations include declaring her and other protestors to have received funds from neighboring countries and at other times claiming that Dr.'s social media account is being operated outside Pakistan. Additionally, he accuses Dr.'s father of being a terrorist, despite evidence shared on social media supporting the assertion that her father was a disappeared person whose mutilated body was thrown in Gaddani. It is profoundly disappointing that, despite holding the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) accountable, such false statements amount to nothing more than an assault on the peaceful demonstrators in the March. Jan Achakzai, instead of acknowledging and addressing this grave issue of injustice, remarked in a press conference, "These are merely allegations and propaganda."

Such acts of brute aggression are sustained and promoted through the media to disseminate a dangerous and negative narrative. Under the guise of religious extremism, peaceful protesters were labeled as non-Muslims by state-backed religious extremists. Innocent individuals, such as Sibghat Baloch, one of the leaders of the March against Baloch genocide, were denounced as "Kafir" (Non-Believer) by these entities.

Upon their way to Quetta from Turbat, various oppressive tactics were employed to disperse the March. Bogus FIRs were filed against the participants of the March and the local residents who welcomed and joined this movement. Many government servants were suspended due to participating in March. Protesters were subjected to beatings by both the police and death squads. Despite overcoming these obstacles, when the March proceeded from Quetta to Islamabad, similar challenges were encountered. Throughout this period, the state was actively engaged in threatening the participants, with state-backed individuals in social and mainstream media harassing the protesters. Moreover, the police had attempted to forcibly repatriate the families back to Balochistan, aiming to terminate the march. On one hand, the police forcibly dragged, arrested, and subjected the families of the Baloch missing persons to torture upon their arrival in Islamabad. On the other hand, the same police explicitly threatened the protestors, especially Dr. Zaheer Baloch, in front of the National Press Club in Islamabad, subsequently assaulting and apprehending them in various locations, meticulously profiling the details of every student.

The continuation of the march and its prolongation has broadened the acceptance of #MarchAgainstBalochGenocide, with the entire Balochistan region standing in support of the movement, participating in large-scale demonstrations across the province. To counter the sit-in camp and the march, the caretaker prime minister of Pakistan, Anwar-Ul-Haq Kakar, addressed the media and labeled the families of the forcibly disappeared persons, along with those leading the movement, as "terrorists," downplaying the seriousness of the issue. He explicitly stated that the families have been protesting in the past, are protesting in the present, and will continue to protest in the future, indicating the state's steadfastness regarding enforced disappearances and its intention to persist with the current policy, compelling families to protest in the future. Furthermore, the prime minister justifies the assault on women, children, and the elderly by drawing comparisons to Europe, where he claims governments use water cannons to disperse protestors. This is deeply distressing for us as Baloch Marchers who have come seeking justice to demand the release of our loved ones, only to be met with unjust behavior from the state, as the prime minister represents it. 

After the successful phases of this movement, the state has established a counter-sit-in camp with state-backed squads, aiming to portray the sit-in as mere propaganda. The counter-sit-in camp, orchestrated by state-backed death squads from the outset, is engaging in harassment and purportedly labeling the families and participants of the march as "terrorists and armed". When families of forcibly disappeared, individuals begin sharing their stories of suffering and grief, songs are played on loudspeakers directed towards the sit-in camp of the forcibly disappeared people. 

In other words, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) is directly implicated in the genocide of Baloch people. It stands accused of killing Balach Mola Baksh in custody, and this is not an isolated incident, as evidence from the same year indicates the CTD's extrajudicial killing of Baloch missing persons in a car explosion in Balgatar. 

It is evident that the camp established in front of BYC’s camp is a counter camp is a serious claim, as one of the death squad members, Fareed Raisani, himself admitted that the CTD cannot be disbanded, as it is established to eliminate terrorists. These so-called "terrorists" include individuals like Mahal Baloch, Hafeez Baloch, and Bebagr Imdad, who are picked up and falsely accused. 

Unfortunately, Balach was not as fortunate as those who were released after spending a considerable amount of time behind bars under false accusations. However, everyone knows that these are notorious death squads operating openly in broad daylight, acting in collaboration with the regular forces of the state. Their motives are transparent and evident: they were dispatched by state institutions to fabricate a false counter and dangerous narrative regarding the March, families, and the organizers. In reality, it is clear that the entire world and Balochistan are aware of their true nature. What is genuine cannot be dismissed with such baseless discourses. Initially, they accused the families of missing persons, labeling them as terrorists; subsequently, they played the religious card, denouncing the participants as infidels and non-believers.

Such delicate religious narratives reveal their earnest efforts to categorize peaceful protesters, putting their lives at risk. More significantly, they are branding the families of the missing as armed and foreign funded. We are deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of the participants and families. Up until now, numerous families and demonstrators have faced threats, harassment, and profiling. Similarly, security forces have conducted raids on many houses in Balochistan. Armed forces, including death squads and security agencies, have intimidated people in Kalat and other parts of Balochistan by raiding their homes and warning the family members of those involved in this movement not to return for their own safety. Additionally, death squad members have compelled people to join their protests in areas such as Dasht and Turbat. In Dasht, armed men forcibly took children out of their schools to join their protest, while in Turbat, various death squad members, armed with weapons, have attempted to instill fear among the Baloch masses with their state-backed power. These are clear indications of the severity with which the state is addressing the issue of Baloch genocide and enforced disappearances. 

In conclusion, the Baloch march remains unwavering, rooted in constitutional demands for justice and an end to enforced disappearances. The movement's persistence echoes a collective commitment to truth, accountability, and the assertion of fundamental rights. As the marchers continue their journey, the world watches, recognizing the indomitable spirit that refuses to be silenced.