Pak: Mass protests erupt in Balochistan over enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings

Demonstrations erupted in various parts of Balochistan with students, relatives of the missing, and locals marching in the streets, calling for an end to purported enforced disappearances and denouncing extrajudicial killings.

According to a report by The Balochistan Post (TBP), on Wednesday, students from Law College Turbat in Kech organized a demonstration to raise their voices against the enforced disappearance of Kamil Sharif and Ehsan Sarwar Baloch. They paraded through the college grounds with banners and placards, calling for the safe return of both missing individuals.

Demonstrators assembled in front of the administration block, demanding prompt measures and claiming that Pakistani officials are engaging in “unconstitutional and illegal acts” by keeping Baloch students in prolonged detention.

TBP reported that the family of Israr Allah staged a demonstration close to Gadani Mor on the Quetta-Karachi highway, blocking traffic and calling for his return who has been missing since December 3, 2023. This marks the fifth protest they have held, following four earlier demonstrations that they claim produced no outcomes.

Protesters have denounced the local authorities and political leaders for engaging in “false negotiations” and making “empty promises.” They assert that officials instructed them to showcase the Pakistani flag during a previous protest, assuring them that Israr would be set free, but no advancements have been achieved, the TBP report revealed.

In Mastung, Mir Ahmed Chiltanwal Sumalani accused Pakistani Forces of forcibly abducting his younger brother, Zahoor Ahmed Sumalani, at the Sinjidi FC checkpoint in Kaanak on Wednesday at 2pm, TBP report highlighted.

He alleged that two weeks prior, the CTD and intelligence agencies conducted a raid on his home, Chiltanwal House, and the entire village of Umarabad Kaanak, purportedly detaining two of his cousins, who were later discovered deceased.

TBP reported that the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) maintained its protest camp outside the Quetta Press Club for the 5,735th day in a row. Members of the Baloch Students Organization (BSO), including Secretary-General Samand Baloch and Zonal President Kabeer Baloch, visited the camp to express their support.

VBMP Vice Chairman Mama Qadeer Baloch said his group is demanding the safe recovery of missing persons and justice for victims of extrajudicial killings. “February has been one of the worst months for human rights in Balochistan, with over 60 enforced disappearances and three extrajudicial killings reported,” he said.

Mama Qadeer criticized the government’s response, saying that despite years of protests and advocacy, “the situation in Balochistan continues to deteriorate,” and official policies remain unsatisfactory in addressing the missing persons’ crisis.