Balochistan: BYC condemns killing of Abdul Malik Baloch in Zehri encounter

Balochistan [Pakistan], April 5 (ANI): Abdul Malik Baloch, a victim of enforced disappearance, was found dead in a "staged encounter" in the Zehri area of the Khuzdar district, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) said.
In a post on X, the BYC stated," The authorities claimed that four people have been killed in an encounter with forces in Zehri area of district Khuzdar. However, one of them was identified as Abdul Malik Baloch son of Muhammad Yousaf, a resident of Kohing, Kalat. Malik was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces on 11 October, 2024, from Turbat."
BYC further highlighted that the Malik Baloch family has been relentlessly seeking justice, participating in every sit-in and rally advocating for the forcibly disappeared Baloch individuals.
They were also present at the March sit-ins in Kalat, where the district administration promised, among other things, to reveal the whereabouts of the missing within 15 days. However, instead of being reunited with him, they received his bullet-riddled body, marked with the label of a "terrorist," claiming he was killed in an encounter with security forces.

BYC expressed rage and stated that the colonial state is using every means at its disposal to oppress the Baloch people. BYC urged the people of Balochistan to stand united and resist this fascist state.
"His family has been seeking justice and raising voice during every sit-in and rally for enforcedly disappeared Baloch. They also were present in the March sit-ins in Kalat where the district administration assured them among others to bring to surface the missing within 15 days. However, his bullet-riddled body came, along with the brand of a terrorist by the State killed in an encounter with security forces," the BYC said.
"The colonial State is suppressing the Baloch using all its might. By ruthless killing, abductions, torture, arrests of national leaders, and spreading chaos. It is terrorizing an entire nation native to the land to prolong its control and exploitation. We urge the Baloch nation to stand united and resist this fascist state. Every voice is important in a time when State is trying to silence us. We must speak for Abdul Malik who liked thousands, was martyred in the name of the Baloch," it said.
"Balochistan is grappling with numerous issues, including state oppression, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings of activists, scholars, and civilians. The region faces significant economic neglect, marked by inadequate infrastructure and limited political autonomy. Despite being rich in natural resources, local communities see little benefit, while forced displacements are common," it added.

Human rights abuses, such as killings and disappearances, are widespread. Dissent is brutally suppressed, with strict limitations on freedom of speech, assembly, and movement. Additionally, frequent internet shutdowns further isolate communities, hindering their access to information, organization, and communication, which deepens the ongoing human rights crisis. (ANI)