Quetta police have arrested Arifa Shah, mother of Ehsan Shah, a young man killed in Mastung by Pakistani forces’ firing, along with her minor daughter.
For the past two weeks, Arifa Shah had been staging a sit-in outside the Quetta Press Club, demanding justice for her son. After her arrest, the family expressed fears of her enforced disappearance. However, in a video statement following her release, she confirmed that police had taken her into custody, subjecting her to psychological pressure and harassment.
She said that during detention, she was repeatedly pressured to end the sit-in, remain silent and avoid speaking to the media. Arifa Shah alleged that the Quetta Superintendent of Police had been threatening her for days with arrest and disappearance if she did not call off the protest.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee condemned the incident, saying that the use of state power to suppress peaceful protest is unacceptable. The group urged local and international human rights organizations, journalists, lawyers and civil society to raise their voices to secure justice for Arifa Shah.
