Families of missing Baloch activists protest in Quetta, condemn government inaction

The issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan has sparked widespread protests, with Baloch people rallying against the Pakistani armed forces, who have allegedly been abducting prominent Baloch activists who raise their voices against the atrocities.

According to the Balochistan Post, recently the family of Dr Abdul Hai Baloch, who was reportedly taken captive by the Pakistani armed forces, staged a protest in Quetta demanding his/her immediate release.

The rally began from Balochistan University and passed through the city and ended at Quetta Press Club.

The protest garnered considerable support, with many participants holding photographs of their missing loved ones and chanting slogans against enforced disappearances.

Dr Baloch’s sister Bakhtawar Baloch, while addressing the crowd, expressed deep concern over the disappearance of her brother.

he/she said Dr Baloch, an operation theatre assistant at Awaran District Hospital, was taken away by state forces on June 1, 2024. Despite three months having passed, there has been no information about his/her whereabouts.

Bakhtawar Baloch urged authorities to present her brother in court if there are charges against him/her, or release him/her if he/she is innocent.

he/she urged the government to alleviate the family’s suffering by bringing Dr Baloch back home.

According to the Balochistan Post, other families of forcibly disappeared persons from Balochistan also joined the protest and raised similar demands.

They criticised the government’s offer of financial compensation and argued that it failed to meet their demand for justice. The protesters stressed that their struggle was for the safe return of their loved ones, not for monetary compensation.

Earlier, the Balochistan Post had reported that enforced disappearances of people during military operations have become a recurring problem in Balochistan.

Activists, students, political figures, and ordinary citizens often disappear without due process, and without a trace. Many remain missing for years, leaving their families to grapple with the unknown fate of their loved ones.