Quetta [Balochistan], March 23: Protest leaders in Quetta, Balochistan, have accused Pakistani security forces of staging arson attacks on government buildings and private property to justify further crackdowns on peaceful protesters, as reported by the Balochistan Post.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), which has been organizing the demonstrations, claimed in a statement that plainclothes security personnel intentionally set fires to properties and opened fire on civilians on Saturday evening, the Balochistan Post cited.
According to the Balochistan Post, the BYC argued that the violence was a deliberate effort by Pakistani authorities to falsely portray the peaceful protest movement as violent. The group condemned the state's actions, calling them a form of terrorism. According to the BYC, operatives in civilian clothes set fire to buildings and shops in Quetta while shooting at civilians to frame the protesters.
This accusation follows a day of intense violence, with police and paramilitary forces launching multiple attacks on Baloch protesters. In less than 24 hours, authorities attacked protest sites--especially a major sit-in on Sariab Road--using live ammunition, tear gas, and grenades. Reports indicate at least five fatalities and more than 100 injuries, with many protesters reportedly wounded by gunfire from security forces, the Balochistan Post reported.
In the aftermath, dozens of demonstrators, including key BYC leader Mahrang Baloch, were arrested. Eyewitnesses also reported that ambulances were blocked from reaching the injured, and hospitals refused to treat the protesters. Additionally, roads were closed, and door-to-door searches were conducted in various neighbourhoods.
In response to recent violence, the BYC announced on Saturday evening that the overnight sit-in in Quetta would be postponed. Senior leader Sibghatullah Shah Ji urged protesters to stay home for their safety, citing escalating threats amid the ongoing crackdown and violence by security forces, the Balochistan Post reported.
Shah Ji stressed that their movement continues to be non-violent and called on both supporters and global observers to speak out against what he termed "state brutality."