Islamabad: The sit-in protest led by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and families of forcibly disappeared persons entered its 13th day in Islamabad. On this occasion, a special event was held to mark one year since the Raaji Muchi movement began.
Speakers at the gathering recalled that despite significant efforts by the state to disrupt the Raajji Muchi campaign, it ultimately failed to prevent its momentum. They noted that what was initially planned as a one-day demonstration in Gwadar evolved into a weeks-long movement that spread across Balochistan.
According to the speakers, following nearly two weeks in Gwadar, protest rallies expanded to areas including Turbat, Panjgur, Gresha, Noshki and Kalat. The BYC, they emphasized, aims to unite the Baloch people on a common platform against what they described as the exploitation of natural resources and alleged demographic marginalization. They further asserted the importance of bringing Baloch national issues not only to the attention of their own community but also to the broader Middle East and international audiences.
The speakers claimed that state suppression has been a consistent response to peaceful protests in Balochistan. However, they stressed that the Baloch people remain committed to their cause and will continue their movement regardless of state pressure. “Guns and bullets cannot deter us,” one speaker said.
They also revealed that four activists were killed and several others injured during the Raajji Muchi campaign. Despite the casualties, the injured have pledged to continue participating in protest actions, sending a strong message, they said, that increasing state violence would only strengthen their resistance.
