Protesters block Quetta brewery road over enforced disappearance of six Baloch students

Several people on Friday blocked Quetta Brewery Road to protest against the enforced disappearance of six Baloch students from Quetta and the police’s failure to register an FIR, The Balochistan Post reported.

The abducted individuals belonged to Balochistan’s Turbat area. Out of the six abducted individuals, four were released by the reported abductors, and two remain in prison.

In a post on X, The Balochistan Post stated, “The Baloch Solidarity Committee blocked Quetta Brewery Road in protest against the forced disappearance of Baloch students from Quetta and the police’s failure to file an FIR. It should be noted that five students belonging to Turbat were forcibly disappeared by the Pakistani forces from Quetta, One City, out of which others were released, but two are still missing.”

A social activist who was present at the site said that the police rejected their reject to file an FIR. The activist added that the police’s decision to not file an FIR indicates that these abductors are so powerful that no one is ready to take action against them.

A social activist stated, “When we were they requesting they did not listen to us. Afterwards, when we were filing a First Information Report (FIR) we were straightaway rejected. The police had bluntly told us that they would not lodge an FIR in such a matter.”

“This means that these abductors are so powerful that no one is ready to take action against them. Hence, the only way left with us is this roadblock. There were six students out of which four have been released and two still remain in custody,” the activist added.

According to The Balochistan Post report, the social activist questioned the attitude of the police personnel regarding the matter.

A social activist said, “The local Station House Officer (SHO) was here some time ago and we had raised the same issue with him and now he is nowhere to be seen. We had also raised the same request with the Add. SHO and he openly expressed his inability and helplessness over the matter.”

Earlier on May 26, the Baloch Yakjeheti Committee (BYC) raised concerns over the alarming rise in the number of enforced disappearances, calling it an endless cycle of pain for the Baloch community.

In the statement, the BYC also claimed that Pakistani law enforcement agencies in recent times have intensified the incidents of enforced disappearances especially in the Gwadar Area.

According to the BYC statement, enforced disappearances have plunged the entire Balochistan region into a cycle of trauma and suffering, causing endless anguish for the Baloch people. The rising number of enforced disappearances and fake arrests in Gwadar remains a grave concern, according to the statement.