Baloch protesters call off sit-in

ISLAMABAD: The protesting members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) called off their sit-in, which had been ongoing outside the National Press Club (NPC) in Islamabad since December.

The protesters had been participating in a sit-in organised in front of the NPC by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) to protest against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

The decision to end the sit-in was made a day after the NPC complained to the Kohsar police station, requesting the removal of the BYC protesters and their relocation to another site. The letter was subsequently withdrawn by the NPC administration.

The letter stated that the press club’s primary source of income was derived from press conferences and seminars held on its premises. It expressed concern that the ongoing sit-in and related security issues were not only affecting the club’s members but also hindering the hosting of events, impacting the local business community, and causing inconvenience to residents. In response to the letter, Dr. Mahrang Baloch, one of the protest organisers, expressed dismay and said that the journalist and media community “have an obligation to stand with people whose voices are neglected.” She mentioned that the protesting Baloch had successfully conveyed their message and vowed to continue their struggle until the freedom of the forcibly missing individuals was achieved.

Addressing a late-night press conference, she also mentioned that demonstrators were under severe pressure to vacate the camp. She highlighted that the protesting Baloch were facing harassment and threats, with police circulating false information and journalists being prevented from visiting them. She said: “We are told there is a possible threat around the press club area.”

Dr. Baloch referred to the letter by the NPC as a “stain” on journalism. She announced that the BYC would reject the hateful message they received, emphasising that the BYC would remember everything that had happened. She said that the protesters would return to Balochistan tomorrow.

“We are not against the state, but the state is against us,” she said, adding that the Baloch protesters had been trying to communicate with the authorities to find a solution to the issue of missing persons.

She expressed disappointment that, despite election campaigns being underway, no political party had addressed the issue of missing persons.

Earlier, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan expressed solidarity with the Baloch camp, acknowledging persistent harassment from local law enforcement and dismissal from government authorities. The commission also expressed deep concern about efforts to uproot the camp, emphasising that the validity of the Baloch protesters’ demands must not be ignored and should be heeded with the legitimacy it deserves, without undue force or defamation.

Separately, the NPC clarified that its request for the removal of the Baloch protest camp was “taken out of context” and “viewed with suspicion.”

The NPC stated that the letter addressed to the Islamabad police was withdrawn due to a “misunderstanding.”

The NPC alleged that certain individuals operating “with an agenda” were trying to create a fissure between the club and the Baloch protesters.

The NPC concluded that it had always accommodated various groups and would continue providing a platform to those in need.