PARIS: Dr. Naseem Baloch, Chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), has strongly condemned the killing of Master Inayatullah Jatak, a retired teacher and father of Asma Jatak, in a statement shared on social media platform X.
According to the statement, Inayatullah Jatak was killed by Zahoor Jamalzai, member of a state-backed death squad, in Shahzad City, Khuzdar. He said the murder was preceded by clear and repeated threats.
Dr. Baloch said that earlier this year, Zahoor Jamalzai had killed Asma’s uncle, Ashraf Nichari and subsequently phoned the family to claim responsibility and threaten that other family members would also be killed. He added that Zahoor was also responsible for abducting Asma in February 2025.
He noted that hours before her father’s murder, another video of Asma had circulated on social media in which she expressed fears that Zahoor would kill her father and brothers a fear that, he said, has now “become a horrifying reality”.
Dr. Baloch said this was not an isolated crime, stating that violence against Baloch women is widespread while death squad leaders and their members continue to operate under state patronage. He said that under occupation, Baloch women and girls bear the heaviest burden, alleging they are abducted, threatened and forcibly brought before the media to confess to crimes or make statements dictated by their captors.
He criticized what he called the silence of “so-called democratic organisations and political parties”, as well as Baloch parliamentarians and civil society, over such incidents.
Dr. Baloch concluded that the only lasting solution to the crisis is an independent Balochistan, where Baloch girls and women can live freely, safely, and in peace.
