BYC slams Gulzar Dost's arrest as part of crackdown on Baloch dissent

Turbat [Pakistan], July 8 (ANI): The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has strongly condemned the arrest of Gulzar Dost, a prominent social activist and convener of Kech Civil Society, calling it part of a broader campaign by the Pakistani state to silence critical voices in Balochistan, The Balochistan Post reported.

According to The Balochistan Post, Dost was detained by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) during a raid at his home in Turbat in the early hours of Monday morning. He was later presented before a court and charged with what BYC described as "fabricated and politically motivated" allegations.

"Gulzar Dost is a peaceful and public-minded individual," BYC stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "He has consistently spoken on behalf of the families of forcibly disappeared persons, victims of extrajudicial killings, and those subjected to ongoing state repression. His only 'crime' is standing with the oppressed--a position the state refuses to tolerate."

As reported by The Balochistan Post, BYC accused the CTD of functioning as a repressive arm of the state, targeting those engaged in grassroots activism and resistance politics. "Raiding homes without legal grounds, filing false cases, and forcibly disappearing individuals are tools in a calculated campaign to stifle dissent in Balochistan," the group said.

The Committee demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Gulzar Dost, terming the charges baseless. "The attempt to criminalise dissent will not succeed," the BYC said. "If the state believes it can create silence in Balochistan by targeting political activists, it is gravely mistaken."

The Balochistan Post noted that Dost's arrest is part of a larger trend of systematic targeting of Baloch activists. BYC reaffirmed its resolve to continue peaceful resistance, stating, "We stand with Gulzar Dost at every level and will raise our voice until he is released."

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee warned that such tactics only deepen mistrust and resistance among the Baloch people. As state repression intensifies, BYC vowed to persist in its struggle for justice, refusing to be silenced by intimidation. (ANI)

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