The Baloch Human Rights Council (BHRC) has called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to intervene in Pakistan’s ongoing crackdown on peaceful protests in Balochistan. The council is particularly urging for the immediate release of Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other activists from the Baloch Yekjehti Committee.
The arrests took place on March 22, during a protest in Quetta demanding justice for the enforced disappearances of Baloch individuals, which has been a long-standing issue in the region. Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province, has been embroiled in conflict for decades, with accusations of state-sanctioned violence, forced displacements, and resource exploitation. The UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances has documented over 1,000 unresolved cases since 2014.
The BHRC described the arrests as a violation of basic democratic principles and called on the international community to hold Pakistan accountable. The crackdown escalated when authorities invoked Section 144, a colonial-era law, to ban public gatherings, which further intensified the situation.
On March 25, the Baloch Yekjehti Committee organized more demonstrations, while the Baloch National Movement UK staged protests outside 10 Downing Street. These protests aim to draw international attention to Pakistan’s human rights abuses and demand accountability from the UK and the UN.
Source: Anirudh Sharma, Jurist Article, West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, March 2025
