How has the death of Balaach Mola Baksh contributed to the escalation of the protest in Balochistan and marches to Islamabad? What significance does choosing Islamabad as the venue for protests hold, considering the power dynamics between the provincial and national governments in addressing the Balochistan issue

The story so far:

In December 2023, hundreds of Baloch people marched to Islamabad protesting enforced disappearances and killings in Balochistan. Despite the Islamabad High Court’s permission to stay and protest, the state used force, arresting and forcefully sending them back. This led to more protests in Balochistan, with complaints about unreleased detainees. Enforced disappearances, killings, and protests reveal a deep-seated conflict between Pakistan’s federal government and Balochistan. The government views Balochistan strategically but disregards it as an equal partner, using tactics like manipulation and repression to control the province, even resorting to using religion to undermine Baloch identity.

What was the Baloch long march to Islamabad all about?
The “long march” started with the killing of Balaach Mola Baksh in November 2023. He was picked up from his home in October in Turbat, by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), and was produced at the court in November. However, in early December, he ended up dead along with three others; according to the initial CTD statement, they were militants who got killed in an encounter. According to his family, Balaach was killed in custody by the CTD, which threw his body along with other unidentified men.

Following the death, the family members of Balaach protested with his corpse against the extra-judicial killing and asked for filing an FIR against the CTD personnel.