Editorial by Zrumbesh
In Mashkay, Tehsil of Awaran district in Balochistan, another grave violation of human rights and press freedoms has occurred at the hands of state institutions. Well-known journalist and correspondent of Daily Intikhab, Abdul Latif son of Jan Muhammad, was shot dead at around 3 a.m. last night inside his home, in front of his family. He was asleep when state forces conducted an extrajudicial killing, extinguishing his life.
This incident is not limited to the murder of one individual. Earlier, on February 28, the same household was targeted by state oppression. Eight young members of Abdul Latif Baloch’s family, including his young son Saif Baloch, were taken into custody after being summoned to an army camp. Four of these youths’ bodies were dumped after a few days, while the other four were later killed and their bodies left at abandoned locations.
These tragic events are not merely a series of state violence and extrajudicial killings ongoing in Balochistan but clearly indicate a systematic policy by state agencies to silence Baloch journalists and human rights activists through murder, abduction, and detention.
Such incidents of state oppression must be viewed in the context of NACTA’s (National Counter Terrorism Authority) security policies and laws like the PECA (Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act), ostensibly enacted in the name of national security and cybercrime prevention. However, their actual use is to suppress Baloch society, media, and political voices. Journalistic institutions, reporters, and activists are either abducted or removed from the scene to prevent any truth from emerging beyond the state narrative.
The killing of Abdul Latif Baloch is not just the loss of an individual’s life; it is tantamount to strangling the entire Baloch journalism. This event reflects the merciless aggression of the state, which is not only a violation of human rights but an open rebellion against freedom of expression, access to information, and democratic values.
International human rights organizations, the United Nations, and global press freedom groups must take notice of this state brutality and take concrete steps to protect the lives of Baloch journalists. Otherwise, Balochistan is turning into a graveyard where speaking the truth is a crime and journalism has become a death sentence.
The enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and pressure on media in Balochistan are being carried out under the guise of NACTA’s so-called counter-terrorism policy, whose real aim appears to be the suppression of political and press freedoms. Under this policy, journalists, human rights activists, and dissenters from the state narrative are targeted. These policies have turned Balochistan into a covert war zone where the so-called law, constitution, and judiciary have become completely ineffective.
The murder of Abdul Latif Baloch is clear evidence that journalists in Balochistan face death at the hands of state agencies for writing truth, reporting facts, and highlighting public issues. This incident demands a firm and serious stance from the international community, press associations, and human rights organizations. If the protection of Baloch journalists is not ensured and state agencies are not restrained from unchecked oppression, these atrocities will not only bury journalism but will also plunge the entire region into darkness.
