Turbat, Balochistan – The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against prominent Baloch social activist Wasim Safar for his alleged non-compliance while being listed on the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act for several months.
In response, Wasim Safar strongly condemned the move, calling it part of a broader state campaign to suppress political voices and curb dissent in Balochistan through illegal and undemocratic means.
The Pakistani establishment has trampled both domestic and international laws and democratic principles. They are inventing new strategies every day to silence political workers through force, Safar said in a statement.
He added that the CTD has filed fabricated and baseless charges against him in an attempt to entangle him in illegal proceedings.
I have never been formally summoned, nor have I received any legal notice from any police station or court regarding these allegations. These charges are completely unknown to me, He stated.
Wasim Safar emphasized that state institutions in Balochistan systematically target anyone who dares to speak out against their oppressive and brutal policies. He asserted that the shrinking space for political expression is a deliberate tactic used to cover up gross human rights violations.
If speaking out against enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, and the exploitation of Baloch natural resources is a crime—then as a political activist, I will continue to commit this crime, he declared.
Safar further denounced the state’s use of false charges, fabricated FIRs, and harassment as tools to intimidate activists, stating that such tactics will never succeed in silencing the truth.
We will fight these bogus cases in court and continue raising our voices on every available forum against this regime of lawlessness and brutality. Every child in Balochistan today is fully aware of the oppression they face at the hands of the state and its institutions,” he concluded.
Human rights groups have increasingly voiced concerns over the use of the Fourth Schedule as a means to criminalize dissent in Balochistan, often targeting activists without due process or transparency.
