Human rights advocate Sammi Din Baloch raises concern at UN over enforced disappearances in Balochistan

During the 57th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Secretary General of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, Sammi Deen Baloch, joined the conference virtually and raised the issue of humanitarian crisis in Balochistan due to the actions of Pakistan armed forces.

“During the 57th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council, I briefed the Council on human rights abuses and enforced disappearances in Balochistan. Despite unannounced travel restrictions imposed on me, aimed at preventing me from attending the event and silencing my voice, I am grateful to Front Line Defenders for making my voice heard and enabling me to fulfill my advocacy objective,” Sami Deen wrote in a post on X.

In her video statement, Sammi Din said, “My name is Sammi Din Baloch. I am the daughter of Dr. Dean Mohammad Baloch, who has been forcibly disappeared for fifteen years. I am a human rights advocate against enforced disappearances. I am from Balochistan, and we are witnessing serious human rights violations and humanitarian crisis in Balochistan caused by Pakistan’s military and security intelligence agencies. For many years, the people of Balochistan have been facing severe and continuous human rights violations, including large-scale enforced disappearances.”

“This situation has greatly affected our community,” he/she added. “This has greatly affected our community. We have approached the justice system, but it has failed to deliver justice. We are seeking assistance from the international community to locate and bring back our missing loved ones. We urge you to take action against human rights abuses in Balochistan and help the oppressed community get the justice they deserve.”

A previous report by The Balochistan Post published in August highlighted the ongoing enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in the region. It reported that nine people were released, while six bodies were recovered. The problem persists, especially in districts like Kech, Quetta and Panjgur, where such incidents continue to occur. Kech recorded the highest number of incidents at fourteen, followed by Quetta at seven, and other districts recorded fewer incidents.

The crisis has been an ongoing issue for over twenty years, affecting students, activists, journalists, and politicians. The ongoing turmoil is further compounded by the severe distress among families, especially women and the elderly, who are deeply distressed over the fate of their missing relatives.