Balochistan [Pakistan], April 29 : Hammal Khan Baloch, a PhD researcher and biotechnologist, has written a letter from prison highlighting what he claims is his unlawful detention, while also bringing attention to the broader struggles and systemic challenges faced by Baloch students throughout Pakistan, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
On March 20, Hammal Khan Baloch and his brother Bebarg Baloch, a key member of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), were taken into custody during a large-scale security operation in Quetta. Reports from the BYC and local witnesses indicate that law enforcement agencies, including the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), conducted an early morning raid on their home and allegedly subjected both brothers to enforced disappearance, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
In his letter, titled "A Voice From Behind Bars: A Letter of Truth, Struggle, and Hope," Hammal Baloch recounts his academic journey, details the events leading to his arrest, and speaks about his steadfast refusal to sign what he claims was a forced and fabricated confession demanded by Pakistani officials, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
According to The Balochistan Post, he stated, "To be Baloch is to live under constant threat. It means facing illegal detentions, violence, and dehumanising treatment. There is no justice in Balochistan. The law bends at the whims of those in power, and the truth is silenced by force. I write this not to seek pity, but to raise a voice for myself and for the countless Baloch students who are wrongfully detained, silenced, and forgotten. I refuse to confess to crimes I have not committed. I will not betray the truth to secure my freedom."
He called on his fellow students, educators, researchers, friends, and colleagues to speak out and make their voices heard - not only on his behalf, but for everyone enduring this silent suffering, as reported by The Balochistan Post.