After my father’s abduction we lost our everything in search of him: Farooq Baloch

Exclusive interview of Ghulam Farooq Bangulzai son of enforced-disappeared Ali Asghar Bangulzai Baloch – By Faiz Mohammed Baluch for Balochwarna News

Can you tell us when and how your father was abducted?

 My fathere Ali Asghar Bangulzai, the son of Ghulam Nabi was forcibly abducted first time by secret services agency (ISI) inter-services intelligence on June 1, 2000. After 14 days he was released.

Again, on October 18, 2001 my father was forcibly abducted along with his friend Mohammad Iqbal from in front of Degree College Sariab Road Quetta, by men who came in three army vehicles they covered their face and took them towards unknown location. Iqbal was released after 22 days. He told us that my father was in security forces torture cell. Till date he is missing.

What did your father do that led to his arrest and disappearance by Pakistani forces?

My father was political activist; he was talking about the rights of the people of Balochistan that is why he was forcibly abducted by security forces.

Can you describe the state of your family the day your father was abducted and the days that followed up till now?

When we heard about the forcibly disappearance of our father we felt like the sky has fallen on us my mother along with my rest of siblings became unconscious. Our whole family is suffering from physical and sociological trauma my mother became heart patient. When we go home they ask about father and some time the situation will be very painful when they miss father they cry and weep a lot those moment will be very hard for me and my family. We cannot celebrate religious and other celebrations as others celebrate with zest and fervor, all the days are equal for us. We miss our father with every tick of the clock only those can feel these moments whose loved ones have gone missing.

What have you done since the abduction and disappearances of your father?

We have taken all the democratic steps I think there is not such step which we have left for the safe recovery of our father. We have knocked all the doors of the state institutions for justice, we did peace full protests, contacted national and international human rights organizations including UN.

Do you have any contact with families of other Baloch missing persons in Balochistan?

Yes we have contact with the families of other Baloch missing persons.

How does this contact help you and your family in search of your father?

My father was the first person who was forcibly abducted in the regime of dictator Pervez Mushrraf so our family was the one who started the trend of peace full protests, set on token hunger strike camp and came on roads raised slogan against injustices and violation of human rights in Balochistan with the passage of time people from different walks of life were forcibly abducted. Their family members saw our protest after some months they as well started peace full protests for the safe recovery of their loved ones. Our family played an important role in the formation of voice for Baloch Missing Persons. This organization is raising voice on every forum through media civil society and holding peace full protest to get the attention of international community and human right organizations.

In your view why does the state forces continue to disappear people like your father in Balochistan?

It has become routine of state forces every day they forcibly abduct Baloch political activists, Doctors, Lawyers, talented students and people from all walks of life. In the province who so ever will talk about the rights of the people of Balochistan or raise voice against the enforced disappearances they will be abducted, targeted are threatened by security forces. After few days, months or years they throw the decomposed bodies of the missing persons in deserted, mountainous or Road sides of the province. Many of the families of the victims were threatened to be quite otherwise they would be abducted and extra judicially killed or he will be killed in target killing.

The same thing happened to the many of families of the missing persons. As Faqeer Mohammad Ajiz from Mastung district was striving for the safe recovery of his Uncle Ghulam Mustafa. He was threatened not to speak about the disappearance of his uncle. He was forcibly abducted and later on his bullet riddled body was found. Yaseen from Kalat district was as well striving for the safe recovery of his brother he was pressurized to be quite at the end he was killed in target killing. It happened to many others in the province.

Have the Pakistani authorities i.e. courts, media and others done anything to help you in search of your father?

On many occasions authorities gave us hollow assurances they will help us in the recovery of our father but no practical action has been taken by them. In 2002 we submitted a petition in Balochistan high court Iqbal recorded his statement and the court wrote to police to file the first information report and investigate into the matter. But we could not get justice because of the involvement of army and its agencies. We submitted a constitutional petition in Supreme Court of Pakistan we submitted the statements of Iqbal, Hafiz Hussain Ahmad and other eye witnesses.

On the order of the Supreme Court police filed the first information report against the Brigadier Siddique who acknowledged in front of Hafiz Hussain Ahmad and others that Mr. Bangulzai is in their custody.

The media is very quiet on the issue of missing persons of Balochistan. Journalists who highlight or raise voice regarding the missing person’s cases will be threatened targeted or will be abducted and later on they throw their bullet riddled bodies.

Has the foreign media, human rights organisations including UN ever offered you support regarding your father’s case?

I think my father case is the first case in the regime of Mushrraf which we submitted in the UN. Foreign media and human rights organizations are highlighting the case of my father.

Dr Malik Baloch said his first priority is to find missing Baloch. Have you contacted him and what has he done in this regard so far?

Doctor Malik says security forces are power full even the lower staff of them have more authority then him [Dr Malik]. Even in Karachi he showed helplessness in missing person’s cases. Doctor Malik did not oppose the Pakistan protection ordinance. That is why now state forces became authorized in abducting Baloch political activists and people from different walks of life.

What is the situation of your family now after so many years of your father abduction?

Our father was the only bread winner of our family he was everything for us he provided all the facilities to us after his abduction we lost our everything in search of him. That is why our family is suffering from many problems including socially, economically, physically and sociologically and many others which we cannot explain.

Can you describe the hardships and pain that you and your family went through after your father’s arrest and disappearance?

After the abduction of my father all the responsibilities suddenly came on my shoulders being the elder of my family I could not give the basic facilities including medical care, clothing, food, housing etc. Several times we received threats to be quite and don’t raise voice regarding our father’s case and take out the name of the Brigadier Siddique. We were threatened that do not go to the courts and don’t come to media. That is why I along with my family members are suffering from Psychological trauma wherever we go we feel like being chased or picked up.

We cannot not sleep at nights we fear that state forces might come and abduct us as many of the Balochs were abducted. We cannot speak openly with the people, people celebrate different occasions with zest and fervor but we cannot as others do. After the abduction of our father all the days are equal for us we cannot feel happiness during different celebration’s and occasions.

What do you think has happen to your father and how do see the future of other Baloch missing persons in Balochistan?

We don’t know the fate of our father whether he is alive or dead. His whereabouts is unknown to us we don’t know what he is suffering form after the inhuman torture. State forces are power full there is no such institution which can stop their illegal activities. That is why they are abducting and extra judicially killing the Baloch activist.   The families of the missing persons are concerned about the life of their loved ones because the recovery of the mass graves shocked them. Whenever they hear that a decomposed body is found, they rushed to the hospitals or that area.

How has your father’s abduction affect your and your other siblings’ education?

Education is the fundamental right of every one but unfortunately we were deprived of this right after the abduction of our father, due to economic condition we could not precede our education.

Do you have any message for the Baloch people and rest of the world?

Baloch nation should give priority to their collective interests then their individual interests they should come out from egoisms and self-loving and they should keep radical thoughts in the interest of the nation. Every Baloch should work for the Baloch nation according to their capacity and it is the utmost responsibility of the Baloch nation they should stress on their education. They must make their next generation well educated.