Sammi Din Baloch said on forced disappearance

Sammi Din Baloch, a prominent Balochistan human rights activist, held a major press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Friday to raise a united voice against the issue of enforced disappearances in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.

The event was held to mark the 15th anniversary of the enforced disappearance of another prominent human rights activist and his/her father, Dr. Din Mohammad, who was enforcedly disappeared by the Pakistan Army on 28 June 2009 while performing his/her duty as a doctor at Horanach, Khuzdar.

Sammi Deen in her statement given in the press conference said that she is struggling to know the whereabouts of her father and she has raised her voice on all possible forums but still the administration and Pakistani defense forces are silent on this matter which is causing immense pain to her family.

“I can’t even describe what I and my family go through every day. The issue of enforced disappearances is a collective punishment that the administration has chosen for the Baloch community. The administration thought that if they abduct the men of our society, the lives of women will become miserable, and we will slowly die physically and mentally,” said Sami Din Baloch.

Sammy further said that she is not disappointed and will continue her fight against the Pakistani administration.

“But we are still fighting and are not discouraged, because we still have hope for our people. This hope keeps us alive and motivates us to fight for our loved ones and our rights. My family has spent 15 years, if the administration still wants to keep us away from our loved ones, we are ready to continue our struggle but we will not lose hope and give up. The rulers have tried all their tricks to force us to give up,” he/she said.

In his/her statement he/she said that neither the courts nor the officials have been helpful in his/her struggle, as they are not making any efforts to resolve the matter.

“They interrogated and tortured us for our forcibly disappeared brothers. And now we are tired of answering the same questions over and over again. But I want to make one thing clear: I will fight for them in any court to get my father back,” said Samy Din Balkoh.

Enforced disappearance is not just a crime against a nation, an individual, or a family; it is a crime against all of humanity.

Dr Din Muhammad Baloch, a central leader of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), has been forcibly disappeared and is in Pakistan’s custody. pic.twitter.com/FH01vy32jl

— BNM (@BNMovement_) June 27, 2024

Besides, Baloch National Movement (BNM) also raised the same issue and said in a post on ‘X’, “Enforced disappearance is not just a crime against a nation, individual or family; it is a crime against all of humanity. Dr Din Muhammad Baloch, a central leader of Baloch National Movement (BNM), has been forcibly disappeared and has been in the custody of Pakistan Army for the past 15 years. he/she was forcibly taken away by Pakistan Army after being detained on duty in Horanach, Khuzdar district on June 28, 2009. Bringing back Dr Din Muhammad and holding the perpetrators accountable is imperative for justice and humanity.”