Balochistan [Pakistan], October 18 (ANI): Residents and family members of slain schoolteacher Parvez Mazar staged a protest in Pasni, accusing Pakistani forces of protecting individuals involved in his killing and warning of a blockade of the Makran Coastal Highway if authorities failed to act, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
According to The Balochistan Post, the protesters, including the deceased teacher’s children, gathered outside the Pasni Press Club to demand the immediate arrest of those responsible for his death. They called on the authorities to ensure accountability and deliver justice to the grieving family.
Parvez Mazar, who taught Arabic at Government High School Babbar Shor, was found dead in Pasni. His death came a day after he was allegedly taken away in front of his family. According to relatives, members of an armed group they described as a state-backed “death squad” abducted him and transferred him to a private torture facility, where he was allegedly detained and killed.
Baloch rights organisations and activists frequently use the term “death squads” to describe armed groups they accuse of receiving support or protection from Pakistani state institutions.
These groups have been accused of targeting civilians, political activists and human rights defenders in Balochistan. During the demonstration, protesters alleged that individuals named in the First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the killing were being sheltered by Pakistani forces. They demanded that the suspects be handed over to the police for legal proceedings.
The demonstrators stated that failure to meet their demands would lead to a sit-in at Pasni Zero Point and the closure of the strategically important Makran Coastal Highway, escalating pressure on the authorities to investigate the case, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post.
Addressing the gathering, protesters urged state institutions to take action against armed groups accused of abducting, torturing and killing civilians while allegedly operating under the cover of state agencies, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI)
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