Pakistan misusing anti-terror laws to silence Baloch voices, Amnesty International condemns crackdown

Balochistan [Pakistan], October 24 (ANI): Amnesty International has denounced the Balochistan government for including 32 individuals, among them leading Baloch rights defenders, in Pakistan's terrorist watchlist under Section 11-EE of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997. The move has been described as a serious violation of due process and basic freedoms, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
According to The Balochistan Post, in its statement, Amnesty's Deputy Regional Director for South Asia, Babu Ram Pant, said the activists had been added to the Fourth Schedule in a completely arbitrary manner, without being allowed to challenge the decision. "Listing peaceful Baloch activists as terrorists without any legal recourse undermines their fundamental rights to liberty, privacy, and movement," Pant stated.
The global rights body said it has repeatedly raised concerns over Pakistan's sweeping anti-terrorism laws that fail to comply with international human-rights norms. Amnesty stated that these laws grant excessive authority to state institutions and are routinely weaponised to suppress dissent and muzzle critical voices.
Amnesty International also expressed alarm over the inclusion of several Baloch women activists, including Sabiha Baloch, Sammi Deen Baloch, Shalee Assa, Naz Gul, and Syed Bibi Sharif, calling it "a dangerous escalation in Pakistan's misuse of counter-terror legislation." Those listed face strict monitoring, travel restrictions, and the freezing of bank accounts.
The rights group further voiced concern over reports of unlawful killings and a military blockade in Zehri, Khuzdar district, where movement has been halted and internet services have remained cut off since late September. Amnesty urged the authorities to immediately remove all activists from arbitrary designations such as the Fourth Schedule, the Exit Control List, and the Passport Control List, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post.
"The government must ensure due process and provide those affected with an impartial platform to challenge these designations," the organisation demanded. Amnesty International called for an independent probe into civilian deaths in Zehri. It urged Pakistan to amend its anti-terror laws in line with international human-rights standards, ending their use as tools of political repression in Balochistan, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI)