Baloch Yakjehti Committee accuses Pakistan of genocide, vows continued peaceful resistance

Quetta [Pakistan], May 19 (ANI): The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has accused the Pakistani state of committing what it describes as "genocide" against the Baloch people.

BYC further alleged that for decades, the state has targeted Baloch communities through a combination of violence, misinformation, and systemic suppression.

In a statement on X, the BYC said, "The Pakistani state is trying to erase the Baloch nation. BYC is resisting with nothing but truth.

The group, which has been at the forefront of organising peaceful protests and raising awareness about human rights abuses in Balochistan, outlined a grim pattern of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and stigmatisation of victims as terrorists. Referring to sites like the mass graves discovered in Tootak, BYC emphasised that such evidence "speaks louder than state propaganda."

The statement further accused the Pakistani government of disguising state-led violence as counterterrorism. "This is not counterterrorism. It is genocide," the group claimed. Despite these allegations, BYC reiterated its commitment to nonviolent resistance. "From villages to towns and megacities, to courtrooms and streets, BYC has organised, marched, and resisted peacefully," the group asserted.

It described its movement as a form of "collective grief turned into collective resistance," uniting affected families across Balochistan.

The post also condemned the arrest, torture, and silencing of its members and leaders, but vowed that the campaign for justice would continue. "We have taken an oath: To resist. To remember. To rebuild. Generation after generation" the statement said.

The Baloch people in Pakistan have long faced severe human rights abuses. Since 1948, following the annexation of Balochistan, the region has witnessed military operations, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and suppression of dissent.

Activists, students, and journalists are frequently abducted, tortured, or killed by security forces and intelligence agencies. Thousands remain missing. Peaceful protests are often met with violence, and freedom of expression is curtailed. The state's exploitation of Balochistan's natural resources further deepens resentment, fueling calls for autonomy and justice amid a climate of fear and repression. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)