Latest news with #TheBalochistanPost
Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Education, online business, media reporting in Balochistan face disruption due to internet suspension
Education, online businesses and media reporting have faced widespread disruptions in Pakistan's Balochistan due to the suspension of internet services for the past several days, with the provincial government claiming that the decision was taken to curb communications among armed groups active in the region, local media reported on Saturday. Officials said that the decision has been taken on the security agencies' recommendation, keeping in view rising tensions in August, especially around National Day celebrations in Pakistan. In a notification, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said that internet services will remain suspended in Balochistan until August 31. Students, business owners, journalists, and human rights organisations have criticised the government's decision, The Balochistan Post reported. Students enrolled in online classes have said that they are not able to attend lectures or submit assignments, with the situation more severe in rural areas, where students already have limited educational resources. Freelancers and entrepreneurs in Quetta, Turbat, Khuzdar and Panjgur have reported that their livelihoods have been brought to a standstill due to the suspension of internet services. One business owner said: "Our entire work depends on the internet; this shutdown has pushed us to the brink of financial collapse." Media outlets have been majorly affected, with journalists saying that they are not able to share reports from the region, resulting in what some termed an "information blackout," as per the report. Human rights groups have voiced serious concern over the decision taken by the government, describing the suspension of the internet as a violation of civil liberties and a blow to citizens' fundamental rights to education, economic activity and access to information. Local political and social organisations have accused the government of imposing collective punishment on the public instead of improving security in the region. Critics have mentioned that people in the region also face other restrictive measures, including a ban on motorcycle pillion riding until August 15 and restrictions on road travel for religious pilgrims to Iran and Iraq. Earlier this week, the Human Rights Council of Pakistan condemned the Pakistani authorities for shutting down internet and mobile phone services in Balochistan, terming it a "blatant violation" of fundamental human rights. "The decision by the Balochistan government to suspend 3G and 4G mobile and internet services across the entire province starting from August 6 is a cruel and disproportionate measure that targets millions of innocent citizens. This decision tramples on fundamental rights such as the right to communication, freedom of expression, education, health, and employment," read a statement issued by the HRC Pakistan. The rights body questioned whether silencing an entire province, disconnecting education, health, employment, and communication, is a legitimate strategy. "Shutting down the internet does not harm terrorists but ordinary citizens. This is a dangerous pattern of collective punishment that weakens public trust rather than the fight against terrorism," it stated.
News18
06-08-2025
- Politics
- News18
Pakistan suspends internet services across Balochistan due to security concerns
Islamabad [Pakistan], August 7 (ANI): Mobile internet services have been suspended across Balochistan following an order from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), reportedly due to security-related reasons, The Balochistan Post sudden shutdown has affected millions of people in the region, disrupting daily life, education, online business activities, and access to social media. The decision has caused widespread frustration, especially among students and workers who rely on the internet for studies and Balochistan Post has reported that the suspension was enforced due to possible security threats, but the government has not shared any official details about the nature of those threats. There is also no clarity on when internet services will be restored, leaving residents uncertain and cut off from the digital disruption comes at a time when the Government of Balochistan has already imposed a ban on public gatherings under Section to The Balochistan Post, the Home Department issued a notification on Friday announcing a 15-day ban from August 1. The order prohibits groups of four or more people from assembling in public places. (ANI)
Malaysia Sun
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Malaysia Sun
Nine months of silence: Pakistan accused of enforced disappearance of Baloch brothers, family left in agony
Balochistan [Pakistan], July 14 (ANI): Nine months have passed since the alleged enforced disappearance of two Baloch brothers, Junaid Hameed and Yasir Hameed, yet their family remains without any official word on their fate or whereabouts, deepening their anguish and sense of abandonment, The Balochistan Post reported. According to The Balochistan Post, Junaid Hameed was allegedly abducted on October 8, 2024, near the Bhawani Shah Pump in Hub Chowki by Pakistani security forces. Merely three days later, on October 11, his elder brother Yasir Hameed was reportedly picked up from Khil, Kalat. Since then, both have remained missing, with no legal acknowledgement or explanation provided by the authorities. In a statement issued this week, their sister Yasmeen Hameed described the past nine months as a 'relentless nightmare' marked by fear, uncertainty, and psychological torment. 'These nine months have been like living through a horror story,' she said. 'Every moment is filled with restlessness, fear, and hopelessness. The silence of the state institutions only deepens our despair.' The Balochistan Post reported that Yasmeen has taken all legal avenues available to her. She has filed numerous petitions, taken part in protest demonstrations, and met with officials who repeatedly assured her of progress. Despite these efforts, no meaningful information has been shared, and no developments have occurred. 'Despite being promised by officials that our loved ones would be surfaced, nothing has changed. My brothers have disappeared,' Yasmeen told The Balochistan Post. Their case highlights a wider pattern of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, where families often face silence, fear, and harassment. Human rights organisations have long raised concerns over the state's failure to ensure justice and accountability in such cases. Yasmeen has now become the public face of her family's struggle. 'We want answers. We want justice. We want the safe recovery of our loved ones. Please raise your voice with us,' she pleaded to the public through The Balochistan Post. (ANI)
The Print
13-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Balochistan Liberation Front says ‘Op Baam' complete after 84 attacks on Pakistani forces
According to The Balochistan Post, the BLF claims that at least 50 personnel of the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps were killed and over 51 others injured. The group further asserted that nine alleged intelligence agents were executed at a checkpoint in the Musakhel region. In a statement issued Friday evening, BLF spokesperson Major Gwahram Baloch said the attacks occurred between July 9 and July 11, targeting Pakistani military personnel, intelligence operatives, and key state infrastructure. Balochistan: The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) has claimed responsibility for a sweeping wave of armed assaults across Balochistan, declaring the 'successful completion' of Operation Baam, a large-scale military campaign involving 84 coordinated attacks over two days, The Balochistan Post reported. The BLF detailed its operations, saying it carried out over 30 direct assaults, including four ambushes, striking personnel and installations of the Pakistan Army, Military Intelligence (MI), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), police, Levies, and Customs forces. It also reported that 25 vehicles, including gas tankers and mineral transport trucks, were destroyed or rendered unusable. The group further claimed responsibility for torching seven mobile towers, downing five surveillance drones, and damaging a government bus and a local bank, according to The Balochistan Post. As part of the offensive, the BLF said it established 22 temporary checkpoints across several strategic zones: Makuran, Rakhshan, Sarawan, Jhalawan, Koh-e-Sulaiman, Bela, and Kachhi, briefly asserting control and seizing weapons. In another statement, the BLF described Operation Baam as a 'strategic transformation' of its military doctrine aimed at 'crippling the colonial administrative structure' of what it called the 'Punjabi-occupied Pakistani state'. The statement, cited by The Balochistan Post, asserted that Pakistan could no longer maintain its grip on Balochistan 'through violence, propaganda, or the illusion of parliamentary democracy'. It denounced the state's exploitation of Balochistan's resources and marginalisation of its people through 'Punjabi chauvinism and fascism'. 'Balochistan will no longer be the provider of golden eggs to a parasitic state,' the BLF warned, adding that continued oppression would bring 'escalating repercussions'. The group hailed Operation Baam as a 'milestone in the national liberation movement', signalling what it described as a new phase of organised resistance. This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Also Read: Pakistan doesn't have enough troops for 2 fronts. It has to choose between LOC, Balochistan
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Time of India
Five forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan's Kech and Gwadar
Five forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan (Image credits: ANI) BALOCHISTAN: At least five men have reportedly been forcibly disappeared by Pakistsecurity forces during a series of raids in Balochistan's Kech and Gwadar districts, The Balochistan Post reported. These incidents intensify concerns over the growing pattern of enforced disappearances in the region. In the Kech district, The Balochistan Post reported that on the afternoon of July 2, a man identified as Sufian, son of Ghulam Rasool Sufi, was detained in the Singani Sar area of Turbat. Security personnel allegedly transferred him to an undisclosed location. His whereabouts remain unknown, and no charges have been filed against him. In another case, another man named Muslim, son of Tariq, was allegedly abducted from his home in the Malikabad area of Tump at approximately 1.30 am on July 3. According to his family, the raid was conducted by a combination of uniformed and plainclothes personnel. His location also remains unknown, The Balochistan Post reported. Meanwhile, in Gwadar city, two brothers, Usama and Sadaqat, sons of Haji Ayub, were reportedly taken into custody by security forces while inside a local shop around 8m on Saturday. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 21st Century Skills Start with Confident Communication Planet Spark Learn More Undo Eyewitnesses told The Balochistan Post that the brothers were forced into a vehicle and driven away. No further information has been provided to the family since their disappearance. In Jiwani, a town in Gwadar district, Syed Mohammad Shaho was previously detained by security forces, briefly released, and then forcibly disappeared again four days ago. His family says they have received no updates regarding his condition or location. Enforced disappearances remain a persistent issue in Balochistan, with hundreds of cases reported every year. Human rights groups and local activists continue to call on the Pakistani government to end the practice and ensure accountability. Victims' families have demanded immediate and unconditional release of their loved ones.
