Pakistan: Protest rally held in Turbat on Eid to demand recovery of missing persons

The families of forcibly disappeared individuals held a protest rally on the first day of Eid in the central city of Kech, Turbat. The demonstration saw a large turnout, with participants demanding the recovery of their missing loved ones.

The families, joined by supporters, have also established a sit-in at Shaheed Fida Chowk, determined to draw attention to their plight.

This ongoing protest has gained notable support from the community and various human rights organizations.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, a prominent advocacy group, has been vocal about the issue on social media.

Citing a United Nations report, the committee emphasised the broader impact of enforced disappearances. “Enforced disappearance has frequently been used as a strategy to spread terror within society. The feeling of insecurity generated by this practice is not limited to the close relatives of the disappeared but also affects their communities and society as a whole. It is a crime against humanity,” the committee stated in a post on X.

The committee further criticized the state of Pakistan, accusing it of dehumanizing the Baloch people through systematic enforced disappearances and alleged genocide.

“However, the State of Pakistan constantly reminds us–by committing this crime and our genocide–that Baloch doesn’t qualify to be human. The international community and human rights advocates, proud of their humanity, seem to agree with the state by keeping their silence on crimes against the Baloch people,” the statement added.

The protest on Eid highlighted the emotional toll on the families of the disappeared.

“On every Eid, Baloch mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, wives and children, friends and relatives; torn by the pain of their disappeared loved ones, look to the world and ask: when did they lose their humanity to deserve this tyranny?” the Baloch Yakjehti Committee expressed.

They implored the global community to break their silence and advocate for the release of those held in captivity.

“We are humans, free our loved ones from dark dungeons and give us back our humanity,” the BYC said.

The rally in Turbat underscores a growing demand for justice and accountability in the face of ongoing enforced disappearances in the region.

The families and supporters continue to call for international intervention and a resolution to their longstanding suffering.