Pakistan: Baloch Yakjehti Committee condemns FIR against enforced disappearance victim's family

Balochistan [Pakistan], January 1 (ANI): In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) condemned what it described as "colonial and apartheid" actions by authorities in Kalat after an FIR was registered against the family of Akhtar Shah, an enforced disappearance victim, and regional BYC members.

Registration of Illegal FIR Against the Family of Akhtar Shah and BYC Regional Members is Colonial and Apartheid.

Yesterday, an FIR was lodged by the SHO of City Police Station Kalat in his own Station against the victim family of Enforcedly Disappeared Akhtar Shah. Sub… pic.twitter.com/aDbs9X1nym

— Baloch Yakjehti Committee (@BalochYakjehtiC) December 31, 2024

The FIR, filed by the SHO of City Police Station Kalat, accuses "unknown people" of blocking the N-25 Quetta-Karachi Road. BYC claimed the FIR is illegal and misrepresents Akhtar Shah's family, who have been protesting for his safe release.
Akhtar Shah's family has repeatedly held protest sit-ins to demand justice, following his disappearance alongside his father. While Shah's father was later released, Shah remains missing. According to BYC, these peaceful protests have been met with contradictory responses from authorities. BYC stated, "The hypocrisy of the Police and Administration is at its peak as on one side they falsely ensure the families that their loved ones would be released while on the other they use violence, harassment and intimidation against them."

A month earlier, when Shah's family blocked the N-25, senior officials, including the Commissioner of Kalat and heads of police, reportedly assured the family that Shah would be released within five days. However, those assurances were not fulfilled. BYC accused the same officials of escalating the situation by filing vague FIRs against the victim's family and BYC members. The committee described the move as "apartheid combined with genocide of the Baloch."
The BYC further alleged that authorities have historically exploited legal systems as tools to oppress the Baloch. "The law has always been used as a tool against the Baloch," the group stated, calling these actions a continuation of systemic discrimination aimed at suppressing dissent and resistance.
In its statement, BYC strongly condemned these acts, asserting, "Such acts only reflect the illegitimacy and violence of the State and would never be able to deter the national resistance of the Baloch." (ANI)