Desk : Demonstrators blocked the Quetta-bound China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) highway at Hironk in Turbat on Wednesday, a day after the family of nursing student Khadija Baloch warned of escalating protests if she was not recovered, according to The Balochistan Post (TBP).
The blockade halted traffic in both directions, disrupting movement between Turbat and adjoining regions, including Hoshab, Awaran, Panjgur, Surab and Quetta.
The escalation followed a press conference held during an ongoing sit-in outside Bolan Medical College in Quetta, where Khadija Baloch’s family alleged she was taken from a girls’ hostel on the night of April 22 without a warrant and has not been produced before any court. The family termed the incident a violation of constitutional and fundamental rights, demanding that she either be presented before a court through due legal process or released immediately.
The family had earlier warned that they would be “forced to block the CPEC road” if she was not recovered within a day. The warning was carried out on Wednesday, with protesters blocking the highway at Hironk, local sources said, as cited by TBP.
Protesters maintained that no information has been provided regarding her whereabouts since her alleged detention, adding that the demonstrations would continue until she is safely recovered. The sit-in outside Bolan Medical College has now entered its eighth day, with participation from relatives, students and local residents.
In a separate development, the Baloch Students Organisation (Pajjar) alleged that its central senior vice chairman, Babul Malik Baloch, was forcibly taken from the Polytechnic College hostel in Quetta late Tuesday night and shifted to an undisclosed location. The group termed the incident a serious violation of rights and said it had created an atmosphere of fear in educational institutions.
The organisation said Babul Malik Baloch had been actively involved in advocating for students’ educational and democratic rights, and called for his immediate recovery.