Pakistan: many arrested as Long March against `Baloch genocide’ reaches Kohlu

Pakistani security agencies detained a large number of protesters, a majority of them women, who joined the long march against the Baloch Genocide in Balochistan province on Sunday.

The police also erected barricades on the highway in Kohlu to intercept thousands of protesters marching from Turbat to Islamabad via Quetta with an aim the draw attention to the serious issues of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of the Baloch.

The Long March was taken out a few weeks ago by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee to raise the human rights violations in Balochistan.

Abdul Rahman Baloch, a member of the Baloch Student Action Committee posted on X, “To impede the progress of the Long March, state forces have detained four Baloch activists, namely Asif Baloch, Mairaj Khalid, Abdullah Baloch and Jameel Baloch under the pretext of negotiations”.

Sources reveal that after Kohlu, a large number of people gathered in Barkhan to protest in solidarity with the long march, which is now heading towards Dera Ghazi Khan, where a large number of protesters, including women have already been arrested by police.

Fazila Baloch, a human rights defender posted on X, “Long march against ” Baloch Genocide” has reached DG Khan and the Pakistani state has fully planned for making it unsuccessful. As per reports several Baloch male and female activists have been tortured and arrested by Punjab Police.”

There have recurring incidents of extrajudicial killings in Balochistan by Pakistani security agencies. The public anger boiled over after the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) recently abducted and killed four Baloch youths in an alleged fake encounter.

The victims’ family members were holding protests in Turbat, which grew to a Long March to raise a voice for justice.

Dr. Mah Rang Baloch of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee said in her address in Barkhan, “This long march is to address the issue of extrajudicial killings of the Baloch. This government wants to eliminate the Baloch through genocide. Our Long March will continue till we reach Islamabad.”

Balochistan is the largest and the resource-rich province of Pakistan where the people are allegedly grappling with the worst human rights crisis. The security forces, including the Pakistani Rangers and secret agencies, are frequently engaged in incidents of forceful abduction of Baloch youth and killing them by labelling them as terrorists.

The Balochs have been fighting for their rights for many decades as they demand sovereignty and control of their natural resources.

The situation in Balochistan has turned from bad to worse since the heavy investment by China in Gwadar as part of its multi-billion dollar CPEC project.