Protests in Balochistan over alleged torture of BYC leaders in custody

Balochistan [Pakistan], April 26 (ANI): Protests erupted across Balochistan and parts of Karachi on Friday, following allegations of torture and mistreatment of detained Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders by Pakistani authorities, The Balochistan Post reported.

The demonstrations were organised by the BYC in response to reports that three prominent leaders -- Mahrang Baloch, Beebow Baloch, and Gulzadi Baloch -- were subjected to violent treatment while in custody. According to The Balochistan Post, family members and activists claim that Beebow Baloch was forcibly removed from Hudda Jail by Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officers, held incommunicado for several hours, and later transferred to Pishin Jail.

Protests took place in multiple cities, including Quetta, Karachi, Khuzdar, Mastung, Panjgur, Turbat, Kech, Mashkail, Kharan, Charsar, Dalbandin, Chagai, and Noshki. In Noshki, protesters voiced strong condemnation of the alleged torture of the detained BYC leaders. In Quetta, separate rallies were held in Hudda and Killi Qambarani, where protesters denounced the mistreatment of the BYC leaders and demanded their immediate release, The Balochistan Post reported.

Dalbandin also witnessed large-scale demonstrations, with participants condemning the torture and the forced transfers of the detained leaders to unknown locations, according to The Balochistan Post. In Khuzdar, citizens marched through the streets, calling for an end to enforced disappearances.

Meanwhile, in Karachi, a heavy police presence was deployed in Faqeer Colony ahead of a planned BYC protest. Protesters reported facing harassment and threats of arrest. In Malir, several BYC protesters were detained and taken to a police station, where they alleged verbal abuse.

Across all protest sites, demonstrators called for an end to "state violence" and demanded the immediate release of the detained BYC leaders. Banners and placards denouncing enforced disappearances and expressing solidarity with the detained activists were widely displayed, The Balochistan Post noted.

The BYC vowed to continue its protest campaign until the leaders are released and the alleged abuse is halted. In a statement, the group asserted that the protests, despite state repression, reflect a growing public consciousness. "They can no longer be silenced through force and violence," the BYC declared, pledging to persist with their movement despite the challenges they face. (ANI)

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