Pakistan bans freedom of expression and protests

Balochistan

Pakistan has imposed a complete ban on freedom of expression and peaceful protests, according to Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch on Saturday. She shared examples of recent protests in Balochistan that were met with harsh state responses, including police filing FIRs against participants.

One such protest involved the family of Zubair Baloch, a student at Balochistan University, who staged a sit-in in Hub demanding his recovery. The peaceful demonstration was met with an FIR targeting Zubair’s family and political activists, including his 15-year-old sister. Similarly, an FIR was filed against the family of enforced disappearance victim Akhtar Shah after their sit-in in Kalat.

Mahrang Baloch condemned these actions, accusing the state of criminalizing peaceful protests while failing to address enforced disappearances. She denounced the state’s "fascist tactics" and the ongoing suppression of the Baloch people’s fight for justice.

The situation in Balochistan remains dire, with activists calling attention to the ongoing human rights violations and the government’s disregard for the region’s grievances. Protests demanding justice for victims of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings continue across Balochistan, exposing Pakistan's systemic neglect and violent suppression of its people.