Quetta, June 11 (IANS) Several Baloch activists on Thursday strongly condemned the violence against the peaceful protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), slamming the Pakistani authorities for their coercive action and brutal use of force.

Their strong reaction came amid reports that dozens of people have been killed and hundreds injured following the deadly clashes between the law enforcement personnel and protesters in the Rawalakot city of PoK.

The clashes were reported days after the Pakistani authorities in occupied territory declared the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) a proscribed group under anti-terrorism laws ahead of its planned protest on June 9.

“The ban imposed on the Joint Public Action Committee (JAAC) is not merely a restriction on an organisation; rather, it reflects the state’s continuous oppressive conduct against the freedom of expression, political liberty, and the struggle for fundamental rights of the people in oppressed regions.” read a statement posted on X by leading Baloch human rights activist and chief organiser of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), Mahrang Baloch, who is currently imprisoned at Huda Jail in Quetta.

She said that the developments unfolding in PoK reflected the “oppressive mindset and policy” of the Pakistani authorities.

Meanwhile, Naseem Baloch, chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), sharply criticised the ruthless suppression of public voices, the arrests, and the attempts to crush political demands through force in PoK.

Stating that oppression, violence, and use of power by authorities in PoK are not something new, Naseem took to X and posted: “Since 1948, the Baloch nation has endured similar forms of persecution, military aggression, political repression, enforced disappearances, and human rights violations. Therefore, we understand the pain, suffering, and sense of deprivation experienced by the Kashmiri people better than anyone.”

Condemning the violence in PoK, another human rights defender, Mir Yar Baloch, said that reports of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and widespread human rights violations underscored the need for international attention and action.

He stressed that peace, stability, and prosperity in South Asia cannot be achieved so long as Pakistani military occupation, political repression, and the denial of fundamental rights continue in the occupied territory.

Mir said that the continued presence of Pakistani military forces in Balochistan, PoK, and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan remains a major obstacle to regional peace and democratic progress.

“We therefore call upon the United Nations and the international community to take meaningful steps toward protecting civilian populations, upholding international law, and supporting peaceful and democratic solutions to long-standing conflicts,” Mir posted on X.

“For decades, Pakistan has attempted to portray itself as a champion of the Kashmiri cause while denying basic political rights and economic opportunities to the very people it claims to represent. The international community must critically examine this contradiction and hold all parties accountable to the principles of human rights, self-determination, and democratic governance,” the Baloch activist stressed.

–IANS

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