Protests have erupted across POB after journalist and student Zubair Baloch was forcibly abducted by Pakistan Army during a late-night raid in Hub Chowki. His family and local residents have staged an unrelenting protest, blocking the Karachi-Quetta Highway for over eight hours, demanding his immediate release. The Paki establishment’s systematic repression continues to raise alarms, as enforced disappearances become an all-too-familiar pattern in the region.
Reportedly, armed men in a Vigo vehicle stormed the home of Zubair Baloch in the early hours of Sunday, forcibly taking him into custody. Zubair’s family remains in the dark about his whereabouts, with no official explanation provided for his abduction. His sister described the terrifying moment when security forces violated their privacy, saying, “We have no idea where he has been taken or why he was targeted.” Zubair, a graduate of Political Science from Balochistan University, had previously worked with local media outlets, including the Intekhab newspaper.
In response to the abduction, protests have spread across Hub Chowki, where demonstrators have blocked the CPEC Highway, further escalating tensions. They have vowed to continue their sit-ins until Zubair is safely returned. The protests are a stark reminder of the increasing intolerance faced by journalists in Balochistan and the violent tactics of the Pak military to suppress independent voices and dissent.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has joined in condemning the Pak Army’s actions, warning that the abduction could follow the disturbing trend of enforced disappearances, often leading to extrajudicial killings or staged encounters. The family of Zubair Baloch has set a three-day deadline for the authorities to secure his release, threatening to intensify their protests if their demands are ignored.
This latest incident is part of the ongoing campaign by the Pak Army to silence journalists, activists, and the Baloch nationalist movement, which has been demanding autonomy and an end to Army-sponsored violence since Pakistan’s illegal occupation of Balochistan in 1948. The military’s brutal tactics, including forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, have left Baloch communities living in constant fear, while the international community remains largely indifferent to their plight.