Islamabad [Pakistan]: The Balochistan Yakjehti Council will continue its long march against alleged genocide by Pakistani forces on people of Balcohistan after it called of a sit-in at Dera Gazi Khan on Monday night. The Baloch Long march will now start to move towards Islamabad today, according to Dawn.
The marchers started their journey from Turbat under the banner of the Baloch Yakjehti Council (BYC) and staged a sit-in in Dera Ghazi Khan after several students and protesters were arrested for breaking a local ban on gatherings.
In an effort to persuade the authorities that the long march was not against local authority, the marchers staged a sit-in at Pakistan Crossing, delaying traffic.
As a result, police freed all of the detainees but did not cancel the FIRs filed against them, according to Dawn.
Mehrang Baloch, a political worker, said that when other tactics failed, the authorities are now trying to halt the long march by blocking all means of transport.
"To sabotage the ongoing long march against the Baloch genocide when all other tactics failed. So now the state is trying to influence the long march by blocking all means of transport and threatening the transporters," the Official Account of Baloch Yakjahti Committee, Kech, wrote on X and also posted a video of Mehrang Baloch alongside.
"Through this video message, we want to send a message to the state that our movement is a peaceful movement. if the state and DG Khan's administration do not stop their tactics, then we will expand this movement further to DG Khan. I will sit down!" the post read further.
"If they will not give us the transport, we will sit-in here at Dera Gazi Khan and will ensure that the calls to residents to join the protest are bigger this time," Mehrang Baloch said in the video.
The Baloch Yakjehti Council in its post on X said that the long march caravan will leave from Dera Gazi Khan Gadai on Tuesday morning. The Long march caravan will then move from Taunsa towards Islamabad. The committe has called on Baloch people to come out in large numbers to support the long march.
In an open letter to journalists the Yakjehti Council said " Currently, the state is on fire in Balochistan, there is no such area, no city, no village where people are not being abducted and killed. Now the Baloch nation has no other option but to struggle against these atrocities. That is why thousands of people from every region and village of Balochistan have joined this movement coming out of Makran. Thousands of people have gathered everywhere to welcome the Long March and make it clear to the state that the Baloch nation is now united and a force against state oppression."
Numerous Dera Gazi Khan residents participated in the march, which made its way to Sangam Chowk, Gaddai Dera-Quetta Road, and other areas. People left their homes to demonstrate support for those taking part in the lengthy march.
Notably, four students from Ghazi University were detained by police two days prior for setting up a welcome camp for the protesters. Shaukat Ali, Asif Leghari, Miraj Leghari, Abdullah Saleh, and ten other people--including women--were taken into custody due to their alleged violations of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which forbade public meetings and was enforced by the district government, Dawn reported.
The Balcoh Long March is being orgainsed by the Baloch people who have called for an end to state terrorism and massacres in Balochistan.
Earlier, in Turbat, Balochistan, the Long March had faced resistance as at least 20 participants, including women, were detained as the Baloch Yakjehti Council's (BYC) long march reached Dera Ghazi Khan, Dawn reported.
Led by Mohammad Asif Laghari, the BYC's long march was intercepted on Shah Sikander Road. The police claimed the participants resisted, leading to the detention of several men and women, although the women were later released.
"Baloch Solidarity Committee's Dharna is continuing at DG Khan, Gadai Changi, but the police have blocked the road from all sides and are continuously harassing and harassing the Baloch people participating in the dharna," posted the Baloch Yakjahti Committee on X.
ASP City Rehmatullah Durrani informed protesters of the imposition of Section 144, prohibiting processions or rallies, a directive the participants defied.
Legal proceedings have been initiated under Section 144, with police warning of action against violators until December 19, according to police.
—ANI