Police used tear gas to disperse protesters in Balochistan’s Panjgur district as it saw a shutter-down strike that continued for the third day in response to a call by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).

Various cities of Balochistan observed shutter-down strikes over the weekend, heeding the BYC’s protest call against the recent arrests of its leadership and a crackdown on its sit-in in Quetta.

BYC chief organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch and 16 other activists were arrested from their protest camp at Quetta’s Sariab Road on Saturday, a day after they claimed that three protesters had died due to police action.

In a post on X, the BYC said the protest in Panjgur had entered its third day “amid firing and state violence” with demonstrators demanding an end to “state repression, enforced disappearances and the targeting of peaceful protesters”.

The group said a protest was also held in Kalat where protesters “raised slogans condemning enforced disappearances, police brutality and the violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations across Balochistan”.

It said the demonstration in Kalat was part of the “growing wave of resistance, as people continue to defy state repression and demand justice despite escalating crackdowns”.

In Quetta, the group alleged that “security forces once again opened fire”, leaving many protesters “critically injured”. “Several people have been critically injured as security forces continue their crackdown on peaceful demonstrators. The state’s repression is intensifying, stand with us against this tyranny,” the group alleged as it shared visuals of injured people.

Separately, in a post on X today, Mahrang’s sister Nadia Baloch said only she was allowed to meet the BYC leader while her younger sister Iqra was not.

“After pleading for three hours and threatening jail staff that I would go on a hunger strike outside if I wasn’t allowed to meet my sister Mahrang Baloch, I was finally permitted to see her but only for a couple of minutes,” she said.

“When I met her, Dr Mahrang looked strong, smiled, and conveyed this message: ‘Tell my nation to stay strong, continue their peaceful protests and marches for justice’,” Nadia said.

Mahrang’s sister Iqra Baloch and cousin Asma Baloch claimed yesterday they were not allowed to meet her at Quetta District Jail, where she is detained under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) provisions as her arrest has not been officially disclosed.

Talking to Dawn.com about today’s meeting, Nadia said the family kept waiting for a long time. “They finally allowed me to go in, but once again, I was made to wait three more hours before meeting Mahrang.”

She said Mahrang’s lawyer was also not allowed to meet her for the past two days.

“When I met Mahrang Baloch after three hours, I became emotional and my eyes welled with tears. However, Mahrang smiled and told me to keep my spirits up and be like her,” Nadia said, adding that her sister appeared determined and steadfast despite the difficulties of the jail and her face showed no signs of disappointment.

“Our meeting lasted less than an hour,” she added.

She said Mahrang asked her about the bodies and their families, expressing concern that they would be abandoned and buried similarly to nameless individuals.

Mahrang, Nadia added, neither had the knowledge in which case she was arrested and transferred to Quetta Jail nor had she been informed about her nomination in any case.

She said Mahrang and another Baloch activist were kept together but separated from all other prisoners.

“Mahrang said, ‘Every possible effort is being made to intimidate us, but we will not back down from the struggle for our rights and justice. I will continue to struggle for the recovery of the missing persons and raise my voice on every platform. Such arrests and cases cannot hinder or disrupt my path,’” Nadia said.

“Mahrang said her struggle was for truth and justice. She told me, ‘We have to remain united and raise our voices peacefully so that the world understands our legitimate demands because every sacrifice is taking us closer to the destination,’” Nadia quoted Mahrang as saying.

“She told me, ‘I came to know from the jail authorities that my family members had come for a meeting and they were not being allowed, so I told them that if my family members and my lawyer were not allowed to meet me, I will lock this room from the inside and whatever harm I’d do to myself, the jail authorities will be responsible for it and the jail authorities will answer to the Baloch nation, so maybe that is why you people were allowed to meet.’”

Separately, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai said she was “disturbed and concerned” about Mahrang’s detention.

“She represents millions of voiceless people — women and children — who are facing human rights violations in Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is her right to protest and speak out for the most vulnerable people — and she must be immediately released. I stand with Mahrang Baloch,” she said in a post on X.

International human rights lawyer Kurtulus Bastimar said he was taking the matter of Mahrang’s “arbitrary arrest and detention” to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.