Quetta [Pakistan], May 25 (ANI): The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has strongly denounced a controversial press conference held on May 23, in which the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) issued sweeping accusations against the committee and its prominent leader Mahrang Baloch, branding them as 'proxies of terrorism.'

BYC condemned these claims as baseless and made without any evidence or legal justification, sparking widespread outrage among human rights advocates and Baloch activists.

In a post on X, the BYC stated that the military spokesperson characterized BYC's peaceful activism as 'evil,' not for any violent act, but for its persistent demand for justice in the face of ongoing enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan.

No journalist at the press conference challenged these assertions or requested proof, raising concerns about media complicity and the erosion of press freedom.

Despite the DG ISPR's insistence that the BYC is supported by merely '20 to 25 individuals,' key questions remain unanswered. Why were Mahrang Baloch and other BYC members detained for two months under the Maintenance of Public Order (3MPO) law without formal charges or trial? And if the movement is indeed so small, why does the state perceive it as such a significant threat? These contradictions highlight the gap between official claims and the realities faced by the activists.

Activists argue that the press conference was less an information session and more a state-endorsed attempt to delegitimize a growing civilian movement rooted in the grief and suffering of the Baloch people.

'It's not about Mahrang Baloch,' a statement from BYC later read. 'It's about a system that continues to commit atrocities in Balochistan and demands no accountability.'

BYC leaders and supporters say they will not be silenced by intimidation or smear campaigns. They point to a long list of grievances: extrajudicial killings, custodial torture, fake encounters, and the operation of alleged death squads in Balochistan -- none of which were addressed during the press briefing.

The most inflammatory claim made by the DG ISPR -- that Mahrang Baloch demanded the return of the bodies of the Jaffar Express attackers -- was also debunked by BYC. On March 19, 2025, during a press conference, Dr. Baloch called for transparency and dignity in the handling of unidentified bodies buried in the Qasi graveyard. She emphasized that families have the right to identify their loved ones and to seek truth and justice.

'Standing with grieving families is not terrorism -- it is humanity,' she stated. In the absence of legal proceedings, independent investigations, or transparent accountability mechanisms, the state's labeling of peaceful dissent as terrorism is being seen as part of a broader campaign to stifle legitimate demands for justice.

'If the state truly believes BYC is a terrorist organization,' the group's statement read, 'then prove it in a court of law -- with evidence, cross-examination, and due process. Until then, this resistance will continue, grounded not in violence, but in truth.'

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee represents more than just a handful of activists. It stands for every family torn apart by enforced disappearances, every student silenced, every mutilated body returned home, and every grave filled without answers.

Despite intensified repression, the movement continues -- powered by pain, resilience, and the unyielding demand for justice. (ANI)