Sunday, November 10th, 2024

Baloch activists highlight the horrific reality of enforced disappearances in Balochistan


Jamal Baloch, media coordinator of PANK, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), discussed the issues of forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan on the sidelines of the 57th session of the Human Rights Council.

Baloch said, “Pakistani forces have always dealt with our people with cruelty, barbarity and torture to silence us. I am one of the unfortunate victims of enforced disappearance. It may be difficult for some people to understand what they have not experienced. But for me, enforced disappearance is a tragedy that will follow me for the rest of my life. Many people see photographs hanging somewhere of the disappeared, their families speaking out for them – these photographs tell the story of those who have been forcibly taken away.

he/she added, “For me, these photographs become an imaginary reality. They come out of those frames, and I see them being tortured and humiliated in Pakistani torture chambers. It’s hard for me to explain, and I don’t want to go into the gory details of what happens in these cells, because it’s painful for me to relive those memories, and it will be painful for you to hear it too.

Enforced disappearances in Balochistan are not an isolated incident; They are part of a larger crackdown on dissent. Baloch activists accuse the military and intelligence agencies of carrying out these abductions to suppress demands for autonomy. Its impact extends beyond victims, creating fear in local communities and further eroding trust in state institutions.

Baloch further said, “I clearly see every single frame hanging in Balochistan, where people are being tortured at this moment. There are also youth and students among them. Just two days ago, five 13-year-old students were forcibly disappeared. They are minors who deserve to study in school, not worth kidnapping.”

The ongoing repression in Balochistan highlights the state’s unwillingness to confront the unchecked power of its military forces. While the world watches, Pakistan’s empty promises of justice are in stark contrast to the ground reality.

Reflecting on his/her personal experience, he/she said, “Pakistani forces engage in this inhumane practice in Balochistan every day; This has become routine. When I was 13 years old, I saw my father being taken down in front of me. Imagine being a 13-year-old boy watching helplessly as armed forces drag your father into their vehicle. “Then, at the age of 17, I was forcibly disappeared for speaking out about human rights, for refusing to accept the injustice happening in my neighbourhood.”

Baloch also spoke about the plight of the Baloch people, saying that what was once a majority has now become a minority due to Pakistan’s occupation, which the people have opposed. he/she concluded his/her statement by saying, “They have risen against Pakistan’s occupation and exploitation in Balochistan. Pakistan continuously tries to hide another crime by committing one crime. In all situations faced in Balochistan, those fighting for justice are treated like criminals, kept in the dungeons of Pakistani torture chambers.



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