Baloch ended sit-in protest in Islamabad after more than 30 days

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has ended its protest sit-in against enforced disappearances outside the National Press Club (NPC) in Islamabad. This sit-in protest began last month and now Baloch protestors have ended in Islamabad.

BYC announced to cease their continuous sit-in protest after a long march of more than a month in the severe month of Islamabad. It stated their movement was effective because it mobilized the oppressed Baloch from inaccessible areas of Balochistan.

Furthermore, BYC stated that the Islamabad administration and state swore to maintain its genocidal policies in Balochistan. They have vowed to resist for the sake of survival. The movement has not finished but has reached a new stage in which it is their joint responsibility to stand up to the brutal practices of the state in Balochistan.

62th day of our movement, the Sit-In at NPC, Islamabad wraps after a long march and a continuous Sit-In for more than a month in the harsh weather of Islamabad. Our movement was successful in the sense that it mobilized the Oppressed Baloch from remote and unreachable corners of… pic.twitter.com/nwjLbTmuSQ
— Baloch Yakjehti Committee (@BalochYakjehtiC) January 24, 2024

Baloch protestors have been protesting in the federal capital over enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings since Dec 20, 2023.

Activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch stated that they are returning to Balochistan with pain, suffering, and anti-Baloch attitude toward the state. She said they will hold a rally in Balochistan on Jan 27 in the wake of oppression against Baloch people.

کل ہم اسلام آباد سے دکھ، درد، تکلیف اور اسلام آباد کی بلوچ دشمن رویوں کو لیکر واپس بلوچستان جارہے ہیں۔

ہم اپنی سرزمین پہنچ کر اسلام آباد کے کہانیوں کو بلوچستان کے سنگلاخ پہاڑوں سے لیکر نیلی سمندر تک پہنچائے گے۔

اب ہمارے حوصلے اور ہمت مزید بلند ہوچکے ہیں, اور ہم اب اپنے طاقتور… pic.twitter.com/CezxX06urz
— Mahrang Baloch (@MahrangBaloch_) January 23, 2024

Furthermore, Mahrang said they will reach their land and convey the stories of Islamabad from the Singlakh mountains of Balochistan to the Blue Sea. They will now take this movement to the homes of Balochistan with their powerful morale. They promise to defeat the imperialist system from their land with the power of the people.

The situation comes after NPC Islamabad filed a complaint to Kohsar Police Station on Jan 22, 2024. The complaint demanded law enforcement agencies remove Baloch protestors from the open park before NPC.

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The club administration considered Baloch protesters as a security danger for different reasons. The main reason mentioned in the complaint is that many political and social figures of national prominence attend various occasions at the NPC. In this regard, Baloch protestors pose a security threat to them.

Islamabad police cracked down on Baloch protestors last month and destroyed their tents near the National Press Club last month. They arrested the majority of these protestors causing widespread outrage across Pakistan.

The Islamabad administration first justified the crackdown and claimed it was a necessary precaution to prevent a “disaster.” However, they ordered to release of all Baloch protestors after a week following national criticism over the persecuted arrests.