BYC leader's home raided amid ongoing crackdown in Balochistan

Balochistan [Pakistan], April 18 : Advocate Israr Baloch, a human rights lawyer who represents members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), has claimed that armed men wearing masks forcibly entered his house in Quetta and held his family hostage on Thursday, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

According to Baloch, the incident took place around midday when a group of unidentified individuals stormed into his home.

He stated, "They held my younger brothers at gunpoint and repeatedly asked about my whereabouts. They ransacked the house, threw books outside, took some with them, and left after making threats."

According to The Balochistan Post, advocate Baloch claimed that his family has been subjected to ongoing harassment for more than a month. He highlighted, "They are regularly summoned to the FC camp and threatened. They are told to 'make Israr understand' and to keep me away from political activities, or else the entire family will suffer the consequences."

He stated that the harassment is a result of his legal efforts in defending BYC leaders and citizens affected by recent government crackdowns. "If anything happens to me or my family, the state and its institutions will be held accountable," Advocate Baloch said. "We will not be silenced. Our fight for truth and justice will go on."

Meanwhile, Sabiha Baloch, a senior leader of the BYC, denounced the raid.

In a post on X, she stated, "Israr Baloch, an advocate representing illegally detained BYC leaders, has been facing serious threats. His home was raided, books were destroyed, and his family intimidated. In Pakistan, political workers and frontline human rights defenders are being arbitrarily detained. Now, even lawyers pursuing legal remedies are being harassed."

She lamented, "This situation reflects the alarming state of affairs in Pakistan. The repeated attempt to link peaceful activism with militancy appears to be nothing more than a justification for state violence. We urge national and international human rights institutions to take immediate notice and hold the state accountable."

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