Quetta– Human rights activists in Balochistan have raised serious concerns over the continued closure of the Abdohi border crossing in Kech district, accusing Pakistani authorities of using economic pressure as a tool of repression.
In a statement issued Friday, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a prominent rights organization in the region, said the border has remained closed since March 19, cutting off a vital source of livelihood for hundreds of families in the province.
“With no alternative means of income and growing economic desperation, the closure has pushed communities into hunger and uncertainty,” the BYC said.
On the second consecutive day of peaceful sit-in protests by local traders, workers, and civilians, demonstrators pledged to continue their agitation until the border is reopened and their right to economic survival is restored.
The BYC alleged that instead of engaging in dialogue, security forces responded with force, using baton charges and other means to disperse protesters and intimidate the local population.
“Despite these tactics, protestors remain firm in their demand to end policies that deliberately marginalize them,” the group said.
Calling the border closure a symptom of broader systemic control, the BYC warned that such measures amount to collective punishment. “This is not just a logistical disruption — it reflects a deeper pattern of using economic hardship to suppress dissent. In an already underdeveloped and corrupt system, this action has triggered a humanitarian crisis,” the group asserted.
The BYC urged authorities to immediately reopen the border and respect citizens’ rights to peaceful protest, warning that further delays would only deepen resentment and resistance among a population already pushed to the brink.
The unrest comes against the backdrop of longstanding tensions between the Baloch people and the Pakistani state. Activists and human rights groups have repeatedly documented alleged abuses by Pakistani forces, including arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the use of emergency laws such as the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance to suppress dissent. (Source: IANS)
