The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) is profoundly alarmed by recent reports of severe human rights violations related to the “Baloch National Gathering”, held in Gwadar on July 28, 2024. Organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), the event aimed to peacefully protest enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, army operations, militarization and securitization, resource exploitation, land dispossession, and other rights abuses in Balochistan. The severity of the targeting has prompted the BYC to term it a genocide aimed at the Baloch populace.
The Inter-Services Public Relations’ (ISPR) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Monday harshly denounced the rights movement Baloch Yakjehti Committee and its “so-called leadership” as a “proxy of terrorist organisations and criminal mafias and nothing more than that”.
Repressive Actions by Security Forces
Despite the peaceful intent of the gathering, security forces engaged in a series of repressive actions designed to disrupt the event. These actions included:
- Causing Deaths and Injuries. Travelers intending to attend the Gathering as well as BYC members and sympathisers were targeted.
- Lodging false FIRs. Against BYC leaders, members, and supporters.
- Obstructing movement. Major highways and roads were blocked. Bus drivers were harassed and threatened.
- Opening gunfire. On the tires of busses and directly into crowds.
- Abducting protesters. These include civilians, human rights defenders and BYC members.
- Attempting an Assassination. Dr Mahrang Baloch, a BYC leader, was targeted.
- Repressing freedom of speech and assembly. Harassment, censorship and repression e.g. through internet shutdowns and surveillance.
In light of this ongoing situation, the HRCB has gathered the following data, through a rigorous and robust documentary methodology, details of which can be found at the end of this fact sheet.
We urge other human rights organizations and concerned entities to use this data and are available for any further requests around fact check and verification.
I. Causing Deaths and Injuries
Three individuals were confirmed killed due to gunfire by security forces targeting peaceful protesters:
- Naseer Ahmed, son of Saleh Muhammad, Ornach Tehsil, Naal, Khuzdar, killed at the Talaar checkpoint in Kech on July 27.
- Asghar, killed during the gathering in Gwadar on July 28.
- Hamdan Badini, shot dead in a protest in Noshki on August 02.
On July 27, security forces opened fire on passenger buses in Mastung carrying participants to the gathering, resulting in several injuries. The injured individuals include:
- Samiullah Nichari, resident of Saryaab, Quetta
- Muhammad Javed, resident of Mastung
- Shabir Baloch Mengal, resident of Magrabi Bahi Pass
- Muhammad Asif s/o Wali Muhammad, resident of Chagai
- Miya Khan s/o Muhammad Zaman, resident of Khanak Mastung
- Siraj Shakar Khan, resident of Saryab, Quetta
- Muhammad Farhan s/o Muhammad Umer, resident of Killi Debah
- Mudassir, resident of Azizabad Mastung
- Abdul Mutalik, resident of Khanak, Mastung
- Dawood Ketran, resident of Barkhan
- Bakir Ali, resident of Mastung
- Abdul Mutalib, resident of Mastung
On July 28, during the gathering in Gwadar, security forces’ gunfire injured several protesters. Identified injured individuals include:
- Qambar Usman
- Mohammad Ali Nawaz, resident of Khuzdar
- Rashid Mohammad Yusuf, resident of Naal, Khuzdar
- Mohammad Ibrahim Haji Karim
- Jummah Mohammad Azeem, resident of Panjgur
- Mohammad Akbar Bilal, resident of Mashkay
- Asmatullah s/o Samandar Khan, resident of Jhal Magsi
- Talib s/o Murad Baksh, resident of Khuzdar
- Rashid s/o Mohammad Yousuf, resident of Naal Khuzdar
- Hussain s/o Ali Nawaz, resident of Zehri Khuzdar
Critical Injured:
on July 27, Abdul Mutalib Baloch has been in the ICU at Quetta Civil Hospital after being critically injured. He was shot in the head when security forces fired at the convoy during the National Gathering in Mastung. The bullet caused significant damage to his Superior Sagittal Sinus, leaving him in a critical condition. Doctors have stated that his chances of survival are very low.
on August 02, during a peaceful rally organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee in Nushki, Pakistani security forces opened fire on the protesters. This resulted in one death, Hamdan Badini and multiple injuries, with reports indicating that one protester, Hikmat Ullah, is in critical condition and has been admitted to the hospital.
II. Lodging fake FIRs
The police in Balochistan and Sindh have registered numerous false cases against members of the BYC and other participants at various police stations. We have received a list of FIRs that have been filed in different cities across Balochistan, detailed below:
Barkhan: An FIR was registered at the Police Station, FIR No. RKN-7/30/2024-39, under sections 149, 147, 153, 283, 341 TP, against:
- Siddique s/o Haji Abdullah
- Sohaib s/o Panand Khan
- Sanaullah s/o Bakhsh
- Salal s/o Miya Khan
- Meerjan s/o Mohammad Khan
- Farooq s/o Ishaq
- Hafeez
- Shareef Marri
- Gulzar aka Raja s/o Jalal
- 25-30 unknown protesters
Nushki: An FIR was registered at the City Police Station, FIR No. City-7/31/2023-58, under sections PPC-353, 124/A, 123/A, 186, 341, 147, 149 against:
- Bilal Mengal s/o Khuza Bakhsh Mengal, r/o Senator Colony, Nushki
- Ameen Ulla s/o Haji Shoukat Badaini
- Bakhtiyar Jamaldini s/o Niaz Muhammad
- Faiz Ameer
- Salman
- 200-250 unknown individuals
Kech: The police filed a case at the Turbat City Station, FIR No. CTRB-7/31/2024-135, under sections 149, 147, 124A, 123A TP, against:
- Jameel Umar
- Waseem Safar
- Ajmal Mola Bakhsh
- Yasir Beebagr
- Naveed Naseer
- Sadiq Fateh
- 9 unknown individuals
Hub: An FIR No. 30/2024 was registered at the Gaddani Police Station under sections 337, 186, 148, 147 TP, against:
- Abdul Sattar Angaria
- Arif Baloch
- Ajaz Baloch
- Rahmat Raheem Baloch
- Abbad Rakhshani
- Abdul Razzaq Rakhshani
- Waseem Baloch
- Zubair Baloch
- Piyar Ali
- Others (Unknown)
Human rights organisations, media outlets and others reporting on the situation in Balochistan, that would like access to copies of these FIRs can contact HRCB via our email shared below.
Karachi: An FIR no 137/24 was registered on 03 August, 20224 in Karachi under act 188 and 24 TP, against:
- Gwahram son Khan Muhammad
- Saif ud Deen son Muhammad Waris
- Abid Ali son of Muhammad Alim
- Abdul Khaliq son of Muhammad Ishaq
- Jan Muhammad son of Muhammad Rafiq
- Muhammad Shah son of Khair Muhammad
- Abdul Samad son of Abdul Razaq
- Sameer son of Asghar
- Zohaib son of Nazar Muhammad
- Sajid son of Siddique
- Amir son of Ahmed
- Hasam son of Dost Muhammad
- Mubeen son of Shokat Ali
- Muhammad Yasir son of Gul Muhammad
- Shabbir son of Muhammad Murad
- Jafar son of Muhammad Naheem
- Oliya son of Habib
- Akmal son of Usman
- Noor Shah Gul Muhammad
- Pervez son of Musharaf
- Salam son of Abdullah
- Shah Hussain son of Haider
Arrests and FIRs in Karachi:
On August 02, many rights activists, including professor Nida Kirmani and Fozia Baloch were dragged to police vans and arrested in front of Karachi Arts Council, where they were conducting a peaceful protest against human rights violations. Female protesters were later released while male protesters were brought jailed in Aram Bagh police-station in Karachi. An FIR no. 172/2024 under section 153-A/505/34 TP was filed against:
- Kamran son of Dileep Ahmed
- Abrar Arif son of Muhammad Arif
- Nooral son of Ayoub
- Moiz Noor son of Noor Ahmed
- Saeed Babar son of Babar
- Shiekh Bilal son of Elahi Bakhsh
- Muzamil son of Abdul Raheem
- Akbar son of Kareem Bakhsh
- Muhammad Khalid son of Muhammad Shafi
- Muhammad Ziab son of Abdul Raheem
- Zubair Ahmed son of Muhammad Bakhsh
- Iqbal son of Ali
- Salah ud Deen son of Haji Waris
however, these activists were later released on 05 August.
III. Obstructing Movement
Security forces blocked major highways, including:
- Quetta-Karachi
- Karachi-Gwadar
- Turbat-Gwadar
- Panjgur-Turbat
Police and Rangers also obstructed roads in Yousuf Goth, Karachi, blocking buses and cars heading to Balochistan.
IV. Opening Gunfire
Forces used containers and stones to severely disrupt travel and access, and also directly fired at the tires of buses and protesters in various locations including Talaar, Dalbandin, Mastung, and Nushki.
V. Abducting protestors
Several human rights defenders including Frontline Defenders award winner Sammi Deen Baloch and BYC leaders Sebghatullah Abdul Haq and Dr. Sabiha Baloch were abducted by security forces from Gwadar on July 29. They were missing for 24 hours, during which time their whereabouts were unknown. They were released on July 30.
Moreover, hundreds of individuals who are understood to be civilians, human rights defenders, and BYC members and leaders have been abducted from various places in Balochistan and Karachi. Identified cases include:
- Eshan Ullah and Tanveer Ahmad, from Jamae Islamia Sidiqi, Killi Pirkani Abad Hazar Ganji.
- Muhammad Baloch (Central Deputy Sec of Baloch Students Action Committee) along with other students during a protest in Saryab Quetta.
- Jiyand Baloch (Chairperson of Baloch Students Organization), and Sherbaz Baloch (Vice-Chairperson of Baloch Students Organization) from Quetta
- Hafiz Aslam, son of Nawaz Rodaini, and Amir Rodaini from Saryab Road Karez, Quetta
- Balach, a BYC member from Malir, Karachi, released on August 02.
- Ghulam Muhammad, resident of Kulanchi Paada Gwadar, From Gwadar
The security forces forcibly disappeared Wadera Sattar, son of Hassan, from Gaddani because he sheltered and facilitated protesters. They also forcibly disappeared National Party leader Ashraf Hussain and his two sons during a raid on his house, damaging vehicles and other property.
On Friday 2 August 2024, during a protest outside the Karachi Press Club, up to 25 people were arrested, including Fauzia Baloch Shashani, a student activist who is also a member of the Baloch Student Action Committee, and Professor Nida Kirmani, an academic based at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. Female members have since been released. while members are still in police custody.
Some abducted individuals have been subsequently released.
VI. Attempted Assassination
Dr Mahrang Baloch, a leader in the BYC, was subject to an attempted assassination.
On July 29, two armed men, Waleed and Islam, were spotted near the stage of the gathering and later detained by protesters. They confessed to being members of Military Intelligence (MI) and claimed they were sent to assassinate BYC leaders.
On July 30, the protestors in Mastung also captured an armed person in plainclothes, who confessed to being a member of the Frontier Corps (FC). He was allegedly penetrated by the security forces to create disturbance and violence during the protests and against the BYC members.
VII. Repressing Freedom of Speech and Assembly
In additional to the above, areas around Balochistan and around the country have been subject to extreme forms of harassment, censorship and repression. This includes the following:
- Internet shutdown. The government has shut down the network and internet in the Makran division since 26th July.
- Harassment through surveillance. Many participants who returned home had their photos taken and ID cards noted by the forces.
- Harassment through arrests and house raids. Those who have reported on, participated in, or sheltered the protesters have been arrested, and their homes vandalized. The house of journalist Usman Khan, who covered the ground situation during the protest, has been raided in Quetta. Houses of identified participants are being raided.
- Harassment by disappearing a corpse. The corpse of at least one individual, who was to be picked up by family at the GDA Hospital in Gwadar, has been disappeared by security forces.
- Withholding water and food. Thousands of protesters are stuck at Talaar Pass with insufficient food and water. The FC is not allowing them to cross the pass to reach Gwadar. Many protesters are in critical condition due to the lack of food and water, and extreme heat.
Methodology:
We collected the data from the victims and their families, our volunteers, local journalists, and civil society organizations on the ground. The HRCB relies on a long-standing and robust network of individuals who provide evidence on ongoing human rights violations, through a series of methods including videos, images FIRs, and more.
Note: There are reports of other incidents but due to the internet blackout in the Makran Division, we are unable to confirm and verify those incidents at this time. However, this report will be updated from time to time.
Contact Information
