Family of terrorist victimizes themselves for recovery, revelations surfaced

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the missing persons list has been updated to include Abdul Wadood Satakzai, identified as a terrorist associated with the banned outfit Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), who tragically blew himself up in Mach. However, his sister, Gul Zadi Baloch, has taken to Islamabad‘s streets to join the #BYC protest organized by Mahrang, demanding her brother’s recovery from the state.

Despite the tragic loss caused by her brother’s involvement in terrorism, Gul Zadi Baloch’s actions highlight the complexity of familial ties amidst the scourge of extremism. Her participation in the protest reflects the anguish and desperation of families impacted by terrorism, seeking answers and closure from the authorities.

However, amidst the turmoil, reports suggest a troubling affiliation of Gul Zadi Baloch with the terrorist organization BLA, raising concerns about potential radicalization within communities. This revelation underscores the multifaceted challenges faced in combating terrorism and the critical role of community engagement and intervention in countering extremist ideologies.

The incident in Mach serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of terrorism on both victims and perpetrators’ families. Nevertheless, the resilience and unity demonstrated by communities, as evident in the #BYC protest and the broader rejection of terrorism across Balochistan, reaffirm the collective resolve to stand against extremism and work towards peace and stability in the region.

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As Balochistan continues to grapple with the threat of terrorism, the unwavering determination of its people to reject violence and promote peace signals hope for a brighter and more secure future for the province and its inhabitants.

While earlier,

The Baloch protesters, who had been camped outside Islamabad’s National Press Club (NPC) since December, called off their sit-in on Tuesday.

The announcement came a day after the NPC penned a letter to the Islamabad police requesting the removal of the Baloch rights camp. The NPC’s request was later withdrawn following severe criticism from all quarters, including journalists.

The protesters had been demonstrating in a sit-in organised in front of the NPC by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

The camp was established on December 22 and had persisted despite harsh weather. Further, organisers of the Islamabad sit-in had also accused police of harassing their supporters and profiling them as well as registering first information reports against them.

In the letter to the Islamabad police, the NPC had requested that a plan be drawn up to relocate the protesters to a different location so “the difficulties for the press club and all residents and the business community can be reduced”.

The letter said that the press club’s sole means of income were press conferences and seminars held at its premises. It said the sit-in and its related issues such as security requirements were impeding not only the club’s members but also the holding of its events, as well as the local business community and residents.

Responding to the letter, Dr Mahrang Baloch, one of the protest organisers, had expressed dismay and said the journalist and media community “have an obligation to stand with people whose voices are neglected”.

Addressing a late-night press conference, she had also said demonstrators were “under severe pressure to vacate the camp”.

“We are being harassed and threatened, with police circulating false information and journalists being stopped from visiting us. We are told there is a possible threat around the press club area,” she had said.

In a press conference today, Mahrang termed the letter by the NPC a “stain” on the profession of journalism.

“We will take back the message of hate we received. We will remember everything that has happened with us,” she asserted, adding that the protesters would head back to Balochistan tomorrow.

“We are not against the state, the state is against us,” she said, adding that Baloch protesters had been trying to communicate with the authorities to find a solution to the issue of missing persons.

“It is a shame that despite election campaigns being under way, no political party has spoken about the issue of missing persons,” she said.

Earlier today, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said that it stood in solidarity with the Baloch camp that “has faced persistent harassment from local law enforcement as well as dismissal from government authorities”.

It also said it was “deeply concerned” by efforts to uproot the camp.

“The validity of the Baloch protestors’ demands cannot continue to be ignored, and must be heeded with the legitimacy it deserves, not with undue force or defamation,” the commission said.