In a shocking incident in Mashkay, a subdivision of Awaran district in Balochistan, renowned journalist and Daily Intikhab correspondent Abdul Latif, son of Jan Muhammad, was shot and killed by personnel of Pakistani forces at around 3 a.m. last night while he was asleep at home, in front of his family members.
It is worth noting that earlier, on February 28, eight young men from the same family were summoned to an army camp from Abdul Latif Baloch’s home and taken into custody. Four were killed initially, followed by the other four, and their bodies were dumped. Among those killed was Abdul Latif’s son, the young Saif Baloch.
Reacting to the incident, BYC leader Sammi Deen Baloch stated in a post that “inhumane and tragic events in Balochistan are increasing by the day, yet Pakistani journalists, human rights advocates, and state institutions remain silent spectators to this grave situation. If killing a citizen is a crime, weren’t these victims also civilians? Why they silence then? Is it because they were from Balochistan or because they didn’t belong to powerful institutions or influential families?”
She added, “When we raise our voices against these atrocities, we are labeled as ‘proxies’ and ‘terrorists’. Yet we have always condemned the killing of civilians whether committed by state institutions or non-state actors. But those who demand we condemn violent incidents remain silent about human rights violations committed by state institutions. Why don’t they question state representatives about these crimes?”
Sammi Deen Baloch further asserted that those who remain silent about the inhumane crimes of state institutions are, in fact, biased. Their journalism reflects a one-sided approach to human rights. “They see the atrocities of non-state actors but turn a blind eye to the crimes of state forces.”
She concluded by saying, “Instead of spreading propaganda and misleading narratives about BYC, the Pakistani mainstream media should visit Balochistan, report the facts on the ground, and verify whether the allegations BYC is making are true. Only then can we believe your journalism and politics are impartial. Otherwise, your silence will be considered complicity and support for oppression.”
