Quetta: The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) continued its protest camp for the 5,890th consecutive day in front of the Quetta Press Club, demanding justice for victims of enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
Speaking at the camp, VBMP Chairman Nasrullah Baloch strongly condemned the arrest of Dr. Shalee Baloch, Central Organizer of the Baloch Women Forum, and her colleagues by police in Gwadar. He described the move as undemocratic and unjustified, stating that Dr. Shalee Baloch and her team were peacefully organizing an awareness campaign for an upcoming public event scheduled for July 27 at Gwadar Press Club.
Nasrullah Baloch emphasized that in democratic societies, every citizen has the constitutional right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. He said citizens must be allowed to raise their voices against unlawful actions and human rights violations within the framework of national law.
He added with regret that for the past 76 years, successive governments and state institutions in Pakistan have responded to peaceful voices in Balochistan with force and suppression. He criticized the country’s justice system for failing to uphold its constitutional responsibility, stating that rather than delivering justice, these institutions have often shielded extra-constitutional actions by state agencies.
Nasrullah Baloch said that due to this continued injustice, the people of Balochistan have lost faith in the judiciary and the state’s democratic institutions, leading to a worsening situation on the ground something he warned is dangerous for national stability.
He urged the heads of state and institutions to show seriousness in addressing the situation in Balochistan. He called for recognition of the right to hold peaceful programs in Gwadar, as well as the right of Baloch women to protest peacefully in Islamabad. He further demanded that Dr. Shalee Baloch and other detained members of the Baloch Women Forum be immediately and respectfully released in accordance with the law.
