Quetta: Violent clashes erupted in the Balochistan capital, Quetta, on Saturday as police cracked down on protesters from the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC). The crackdown led to the arrest of several leaders and activists, including BYC’s chairperson, Dr. Mahrang Baloch.
Amid rising tensions, BYC decided to postpone its planned sit-in on Sariab Road due to the deteriorating situation. However, the committee announced that it would reveal its future course of action on Sunday.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee has been organizing protests for a long time, but its tensions with the government have intensified over the past year. The latest series of demonstrations began on Wednesday, escalating into a severe crackdown by Friday. Reports indicate that at least three protesters were killed and nearly ten others injured when police allegedly opened fire.
While BYC blamed the government and police for the violence, authorities denied the allegations, claiming that armed individuals among the protesters initiated the gunfire.
The unrest follows a major controversy surrounding the discovery of 28 bodies in Balochistan. These bodies, according to government sources, belonged to militants killed in security operations after the March 11 attack on a train in Bolan. Among them, five were reportedly killed in direct combat with security forces, while the remaining 23 were claimed to have died in a separate operation in Mushkaf.
When the bodies were transported to Quetta, the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) raised concerns on social media, urging families of missing persons to visit the hospital and verify if any of the deceased were their relatives.
Upon arrival at the hospital, the families were reportedly denied access to the bodies, raising further suspicions. The government conducted DNA sampling before burying 13 of the unidentified bodies at Kasi Graveyard late at night, without handing them over to families.
As a result, BYC activists gathered at the hospital, demanding the release of the bodies. Protests turned tense when demonstrators allegedly broke the mortuary locks, prompting a police baton charge. Authorities claimed that some protesters seized five bodies from the mortuary, along with the remains of a female suicide bomber who had attacked security forces in Kalat.
BYC condemned the police action, alleging that security forces raided the homes of committee leaders at night and arrested multiple activists, including Beberg Baloch and Saeeda Baloch. In response, the committee announced a sit-in outside the University of Balochistan.
The government, meanwhile, defended its actions, stating that the deceased individuals were militants and denying allegations of forcefully withholding bodies. Authorities also imposed security restrictions, sealing off the Red Zone with containers.
On the second day of the sit-in, police reportedly fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and live rounds, resulting in three deaths and multiple injuries. The Balochistan government justified the police action, denying allegations of excessive force.
Despite the violence, Dr. Mahrang Baloch continued leading the protest with the bodies of the deceased, but early Saturday morning, police launched another crackdown, arresting her and several others. Officials confirmed the arrests of 17 individuals, including seven women.
Following Dr. Mahrang’s arrest, BYC leaders accused authorities of deliberately preventing families from identifying their loved ones and secretly burying bodies at night.
After Dr. Mahrang’s detention, Dr. Sabiha Baloch took over the protest leadership. Meanwhile, a shutter-down strike was observed in several areas of Balochistan, with some highways also blocked.
Later in the evening, fresh clashes erupted as police fired tear gas at protesters near the university. A post office in the vicinity was also set on fire during the unrest.
BYC leader Sabghatullah Shah later alleged that "government-backed individuals" had infiltrated the protests to damage public property. He urged protesters to remain peaceful and avoid violence.
