Pakistan: Two abducted Baloch siblings return home, 3 more ‘forcibly disappeared’

Two brothers hailing from Barkhan have been released and reunited with their families, following their abduction earlier this month while three more persons have been allegedly forcibly disappeared from Turbat and Taunsa Sahrif areas of Pakistan’s Balochistan, The Balochistan Post reported.

Saeed Baloch and Hanif Baloch have returned home safely, The Balochistan Post reported. Hanif Baloch, a graduate with honours from the Department of Social Work at the Islamic University of Bahawalpur, was reportedly abducted on June 4 from his residence in Barkhan.

Soon after, his brother Saeed Baloch faced a similar fate, as he was allegedly detained by Pakistani forces, The Balochistan Post reported. These incidents led to protests by Baloch students.

On June 9, Baloch rights activist Mahrang Baloch, while highlighting the issue of forced disappearances of Baloch students, said that Hanif Baloch from Bhawalpur University, was forcibly disappeared from Barkhan.

Taking to X, Mahrang Baloch on June 9 wrote, “Forced disappearances of Baloch students have intensified. Gold medalist Hanif Baloch from Bhawalpur University has been forcibly disappeared from his native Barkhan while his brother Saeed Baloch, a student of Punjab University, has gone missing after being summoned from Lahore and illegally detained.”

“Enforced disappearances are playing the role of a cancer for the Baloch society, swallowing our whole society, no person, home and area is safe from it and it is a dangerous form of Baloch genocide. Staying silent at home against Baloch genocide is not an option, rather we can stop it only through public resistance struggle,” she added.

Mahrang Baloch also raised concerns over the silence of the international community on the atrocities faced by the Baloch community in Pakistan. She expressed concerns during a conference, highlighting the issues faced by young people in the Middle East and North Africa due to repeated wars and clashes which concluded in Beirut, Lebanon on Sunday.

The event titled ‘The Middle East and North Africa Youth Conference’ (MENAYC) witnessed the participation of several young activists from around the world and over 80 delegates from 14 countries.

In her video message, Mahrang Baloch stated, “We, the Baloch people, are facing horrific genocide even in the 21st century, and we deeply regret the world’s silence on our plight. For seven decades, the youth, mothers, sisters, and daughters of our land have endured the worst tragedies of war.”

“Around the world, people are raising their voices for oppressed people, but the greatest shock for us is that no human rights organization has spoken up for us, nor have anti-war advocates addressed our genocide. Today, when discussing the suffering of the Baloch people, the issue of enforced disappearances stands out. I say with utmost conviction that Balochistan is the region with the highest number of enforced disappearances in the world,” she added.

In her video statement, Mahrang Baloch accused the Pakistani army and secret agencies of orchestrating the incidents of enforced disappearances. She also mentioned that the worst affected among the Baloch community are the youth as they are frequently abducted as they freely speak their mind and voice their concerns against the administration.

The issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan remains a grave concern, drawing widespread attention and condemnation. Numerous cases have been reported where individuals, often activists, journalists, or civilians, are allegedly abducted by state authorities or unknown assailants and held incommunicado without legal recourse.

Their bodies are sometimes found dumped in remote areas, bearing signs of torture and abuse. These extrajudicial killings have instilled fear and deep-seated mistrust among the Baloch population towards state authorities.

The practice has led to anguish and unrest within the Baloch community, sparking protests and calls for accountability. The human rights abuses, coupled with a perceived lack of justice or accountability for perpetrators, have fueled anger and resentment among the Baloch population.