Pakistani forces crackdown in Baluchistan, dozens arrested including a leader of BNM

Occupied Baluchistan: Pakistani security forces have started a massive crackdown against Baluch people after the killing of 16 security officials and settlers in district Bolan and Quetta. Over 35 people have reportedly been rounded up from different areas in Baluchistan so far, they have been shifted to undisclosed locations for interrogations.

Meanwhile three leaders of BNM namely Agha Abid Shah, Safeer Ahmad and Abdul Sattar Baluch, who is also the chairman of Government Teachers Association have been arrested from Panjgur town. According to eye-witnesses four vehicle of Pakistan FC has surrounded a local hospital in Punjur and arrested Agha Abid Shah and Safeer Ahmad Baluch when they were sitting in a medical store. Moments later they raided another Medical Store and arrested Abdul Sattar Baluch as well. According to the witness’s account the security forces have tied the hands of the victims and blinded folded them by putting a piece of black cloth on their faces.

After hearing news of BNM leaders’ arrested several people including a large number of women and children took to streets to protest against the arrested and disappearing of the Baluch activist. They surrounded a local police station and demanded that a case should be registered against the personnel of Pakistan Para-military for abducting the Baluch leaders. The protesters have also chanted slogans against Pakistani FC, Police and Levies Forces. The families of the three Baluch leaders while expressing their fear said that their loved one might face the same fate as Shaheed GM Baluch, Lala Munir Baluch and Sher Mohammad Baluch. It is worth noting that Saheed GM Baluch and his companions were arrested in a similar broad-daylight raid by Pakistani Para-military forces from their lawyers’ office. They were killed in cold-blood a week after their arrest.

Separately, a tractor drive namely Mobarak Marri has been arrested from New Kahan Quetta while he was taking water for the residents of New Kahan. Family and friends of Marri has reported that he was filling the water tanker at a water supply station when four vehicles of FC surrounded his tractor and arrested him. Marri is a resident of New Kahan and has been supplying water to the area from past many years.

The relatives of Mobarak Marri said that he has no political affiliation with any parties; his only crime is that he is a Marri and a resident of New Kahan, which is also known as the Gaza Strip of Baluchistan. New Kahan has been under the radar of Pakistani security forces since the Marri people have settled their after their return from Afghanistan 1990s.