03/09/2025

Police Crackdown On Baloch Protesters Sparks Outrage,From Islamabad to Quetta

Farhad Dawar011 mins
Police crackdown on Baloch protesters sparks Police crackdown on Baloch protesters sparks

A Cold Night in Islamabad

On the evening of 21 December 2023, a group of weary families from Balochistan gathered outside Islamabad’s National Press Club. Many had travelled hundreds of miles, carrying nothing but blankets, photographs of missing relatives, and the hope that their voices might finally be heard.

They were not political heavyweights or militants. They were mothers, sisters, brothers, and students demanding answers about the enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings that had plagued their province for decades.

What followed shocked much of the country. Just past midnight, Islamabad police moved in with water cannons, batons, and tear gas. Videos on social media showed older women being dragged, children coughing in the haze, and young students shouting as they were pushed into police vans. The government described the action as “maintaining order.” Protesters, however, saw it as yet another sign that the state was unwilling even to listen.

Also Read: Dawar Times Magazine Edition 1.2, Dr Mahrang Baloch And ( BYC )

The Immediate Fallout: Police crackdown on Baloch protesters sparks

The arrests and heavy-handed tactics quickly turned into a national debate. By the morning of 22 December, hashtags demanding the release of detainees trended across Pakistan. Politicians, lawyers, and human rights groups condemned the crackdown, while families stood outside police stations waiting for news.

Police crackdown on Baloch protesters sparks
Police Crackdown On Baloch Protesters Sparks Outrage, Stop Baloch Genocide

Under pressure, authorities began releasing many of those taken into custody. By 24 December, most of the detainees, nearly 300 in total, were out on bail. The Islamabad High Court also stepped in, blocking attempts to send protesters back to Balochistan forcibly. Still, activists insisted that some people remained missing, a grim reminder of the very issue they had come to highlight.

Voices of Defiance

Among the leading faces of the movement was Dr. Mahrang Baloch, who became a powerful voice for the marchers. “They treated us like strangers in our own country,” she said in one widely shared video statement. Her words captured the frustration of many Baloch who feel that their concerns are ignored unless they spill into the streets.

Some commentators, particularly from pro-government media circles, attempted to delegitimize the sit-in by accusing protesters of having links to militant groups. But those at the sit-in insisted their cause was peaceful and centered on justice for missing family members. The images of grieving mothers holding faded photographs were hard to dismiss.

Rights Groups Push Back

Human rights organizations didn’t mince words. Amnesty International condemned the “harassment” of protesters and accused authorities of deliberately cutting off supplies of food, blankets, and even mobile connectivity to force demonstrators out. In July 2024, Amnesty renewed its criticism, saying Pakistan was repeating a dangerous pattern: responding to peaceful Baloch protests with intimidation, arrests, and internet shutdowns.

Human Rights Watch echoed those concerns after at least three people were killed during a demonstration in Gwadar in mid-2024. They called on Pakistan to respect freedom of assembly and to stop treating peaceful marches as security threats.

The Missing Students Mystery

The December 2023 protest was not an isolated outburst. Just weeks before, the Islamabad High Court had been informed that more than 50 Baloch students had mysteriously disappeared. Some were later recovered, but dozens remained unaccounted for. The families of these young men became part of the long march, their stories reinforcing the larger narrative of state neglect and silence.

Into 2024 and Beyond

Far from calming the situation, the Islamabad crackdown added fuel to the fire. Protests resurfaced in different parts of Balochistan through 2024. In Gwadar, clashes left several dead and dozens arrested. Roads were blocked, the internet was cut, and entire towns were put under de facto lockdown.

By March 2025, the movement had entered a new phase. Dr. Mahrang Baloch and several other activists were arrested in Quetta during fresh demonstrations, this time charged under anti-terrorism laws. Supporters claimed they were denied medical treatment and fundamental rights in prison.

In parallel, the disappearance of more people, including incidents linked to the Jaffar Express train hijacking, sparked widespread protests across the province.

The unrest grew loud enough to attract international attention. In March 2025, United Nations experts called on Pakistan to release detained activists and end its crackdown on peaceful demonstrations, warning that systematic suppression would only deepen the crisis.

Why This Still Matters

More than a year and a half after that freezing December night in Islamabad, the questions raised by the protesters remain unanswered. Families continue to live in uncertainty, not knowing whether their loved ones are alive or dead. Every new protest, every arrest, every disappearance feeds a cycle of mistrust between Baloch citizens and the state.

The government’s current strategy of crackdowns, arrests, and temporary releases may silence protests in the short term, but it does not resolve the core issue. The demand is simple: truth, accountability, and justice. Without that, new marches will keep forming, new sit-ins will emerge, and the gulf between Baloch communities and the Pakistani state will continue to widen.

A peace rally was held at Zakariya University to show solidarity with the Baloch Long March. Pashtun and Baloch Students Councils of Bahauddin Zakariya University are fundamentally against the Islamabad police crackdown on the Baloch Peaceful Long March (violence, tear gas shelling, use of water cannons, and baton charge). Hundreds of students participated in the rally to express solidarity with the Baloch Long March.

The December 2023 crackdown is remembered not just for the arrests but for what it symbolized: a country struggling to reconcile its security policies with the fundamental rights of its citizens. For the families who marched from Turbat to Islamabad, the fight is not just about missing relatives, but also about dignity, recognition, and the right to be heard.

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farhadkhandawar302@gmail.com – Web

My name is Farhad Dawar and I am graduate of the Institute of Media and Communication Studies Bahaddin Zakariya University Multan Pakistan. I’m passionate about journalism and media, and I believe in journalism of courage, uncovering the truth, and shaping the future.

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