Baloch Yakjehti Committee condemns crackdown in PoJK

Quetta [Balochistan], August 1 (ANI): The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has strongly condemned the atrocities by Pakistani authorities against the ongoing public movement in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), noting that the crackdown reflects a broader pattern of suppressing political dissent across Pakistan.
In a statement posted on X, the committee slammed Pakistani security forces of resorting to direct firing on protesters, arbitrary arrests of political activists, and targeting civilians instead of engaging in dialogue with demonstrators.
The BYC said the protests in PoJK, which have continued for more than 52 days, represent the people's demand for fundamental rights, access to resources, political autonomy, and justice. According to the committee, instead of addressing these demands through political means, the Pakistani state has responded with violence, leading to civilian casualties and injuries.
The committee further claimed that the events in PoJK mirror what it described as longstanding state policies in Balochistan, Pashtun regions, Sindh, and other marginalised areas, where demands for political and economic rights are allegedly met with force rather than dialogue.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee alleged that Pakistan's governance model relies on coercion and the use of state power to suppress organised public movements, rather than resolving grievances through democratic and political processes.
Calling for international attention, the committee urged the United Nations, international human rights organisations, and the global community to take serious note of the reported crackdown in PoJK. It demanded independent, impartial, and transparent investigations into allegations of excessive use of force, unlawful arrests, restrictions on civil liberties, and violations of the right to peaceful protest.
The BYC also called for Pakistan to be held accountable in international forums and urged the international community to apply diplomatic and legal pressure to ensure compliance with international human rights obligations, including the protection of freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and political participation.
The statement comes amid continuing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where protests over political and governance-related issues have intensified in recent weeks. (ANI)