Activist's Alarming Allegation: Targeting Voices of Justice in Balochistan!

In Balochistan, activist Sammi Deen Baloch reports an attempted arrest of young activist Mahzaib Baloch during an exam. Mahzaib, known for protesting enforced disappearances, escaped due to swift action. Sammi condemns the targeting of families of the disappeared, linking it to broader state repression and violations across marginalized regions.

In Balochistan, a concerning incident has emerged involving activist Sammi Deen Baloch, who has voiced distress over the attempted apprehension of young activist Mahzaib Baloch. The incident occurred during Mahzaib's school examination when police and law enforcement surrounded the Hub Chowki exam center to detain her. Fortunately, rapid intervention by those present enabled her escape.

Mahzaib Baloch has been a vocal advocate against the enforced disappearance of her uncle, Rashid Hussain Baloch. Her activism has led her to join protests and sit-ins with families of missing persons in Balochistan, demanding justice. Consequently, she has faced ongoing harassment, including street draggings, arrests, imprisonment, and allegations of fabricated charges.

Sammi Deen Baloch condemned the incident, highlighting it as proof that state institutions now see the families of forcibly disappeared individuals as threats. 'Raising a voice against enforced disappearances has become such a 'crime' that even children are being targeted,' she remarked, denouncing the state's increasing use of intimidation and force to silence peaceful dissent.

Drawing comparisons to other marginalized areas, Sammi criticized the state's systematic policy of repression, likening it to actions in Pashtun regions. She emphasized that oppressed groups like the Baloch and Pashtun suffer severe repression, including enforced disappearances of politicians, extrajudicial killings, and military operations masquerading as security measures.

Sammi also highlighted the ongoing atrocities, citing civilian shelling and drone strikes as human rights violations. Her statements reflect growing concerns among activists and civil society regarding the intensifying crackdown on dissent in Balochistan and beyond.

(With inputs from agencies.)