QUETTA: The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has strongly condemned the government crackdown on protesting government employees in Balochistan, stating that the use of force in Quetta has further exposed the repressive nature of the state.
In a statement, BYC said that the ongoing crackdown against government employees and protest leaders in Quetta reflects the state’s preference for coercion, intimidation and violence over dialogue and democratic processes to address public issues. The committee termed the actions not only authoritarian but a direct assault on fundamental rights.
BYC said it unequivocally condemns the oppressive and authoritarian approach under which peaceful protests, constitutional rights, and democratic voices are being suppressed through organized force. Such governance, the statement said, represents a policy of fear and coercion rather than public representation.
The committee emphasized that in a time of economic hardship, demands for salaries and pending dues are not crimes but inalienable basic rights. It stated that baton charges, arbitrary arrests and systematic harassment of peaceful protesters amount to a blatant violation of the constitution, democratic values, human dignity and further intensify existing state repression in Balochistan.
BYC also criticized the use of force in public and democratic spaces such as press clubs, stating that making such venues unsafe for dissent demonstrates an attempt to maintain control through fear and violence. According to the statement, such actions cannot bring stability or public consent, but instead deepen the ongoing crisis.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all detained protest leaders, acceptance of the lawful demands of government employees, and an end to the use of force. The committee called on authorities to adopt a path of serious, meaningful, and empowered dialogue to resolve the situation.
