Families of detained and forcibly disappeared Baloch leaders have continued their sit-in protest in Islamabad for the 18th consecutive day, despite severe weather conditions and growing state intimidation, according to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
Travelling all the way from Balochistan to the capital, the protestors — including elderly women and children — have endured intense heat, torrential rains, and harsh weather, all while being subjected to surveillance, roadblocks, and restricted movement. BYC reported that authorities have sealed off roads near the National Press Club, preventing the establishment of a protest camp.
“Today marks Day 18 since the Baloch families of detained BYC leaders and other forcibly disappeared persons arrived in Islamabad in search of justice,” the group posted on X. “For 18 consecutive days, these families have sat in protest through unbearable conditions, yet no shelter has been allowed. Instead of listening, the state has responded with intimidation and road closures.”
Balochistan remains a flashpoint for human rights concerns in Pakistan, plagued by decades of separatist unrest, a heavy military footprint, and widespread allegations of enforced disappearances. Human rights organizations have consistently accused Pakistani authorities of abducting civilians, especially students and political activists, without due process — a claim the state routinely denies.
The current protest reflects a deepening frustration among Baloch families and rights groups over the lack of accountability and government action in addressing forced disappearances, which they describe as a tool to silence dissent and maintain control in the resource-rich but politically marginalized region.
