Balochistan: Pakistani forces abduct head of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons

QUETTA: The Pakistani police and other security agencies have attacked a tailoring shop in Quetta on Sunday and abducted the chairman of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons Nasrullah along with his three friends.

According to a brief press statement by Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), Nasrullah was working in his tailoring shop in Quetta when the Pakistani forces barged into the shop and arrested him and his colleagues.

“The Pakistani forces have abducted Nasrullah and others without any proof and reason,” the VBMP said.

Mr Nasrullah Baloch formed the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, a human rights organisation striving for the safe release of all abducted Baloch after Pakistani forces abducted his uncle Ali Asghar Bangulzai in 2001.

Since early 2009 he has been actively and peacefully raising voice for the safe recovery of abducted Baloch. His organisation (VBMP) has used all the democratic venues for the release of their loved ones.

They have submitted numerous applications at Balochistan High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan and organised peaceful protests, hunger strike camps and meetings to highlight the cases of enforced disappearances in Balochistan.

The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons also organised the longest ever peaceful march from Quetta to Islamabad in its effort to raise awareness about enforced disappearances in Balochistan. The VBMP has also been on a continuous token hunger strike from past 2698 days.

Pakistani security forces and the government of Pakistan instead of listening to their plea for help have been threatening them and creating hurdles in their way in order to force them to give up their struggle.

The leaders of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons include Nasrullah Baloch, Abdul Qadeer Baloch and Farzana Majeed Baloch who started their struggle after Pakistani forces disappeared and killed their loved ones.

Pakistani force abducted Nasrullah’s uncle Ali Asghar Bangulzai (a tailor by profession) in 2001 and his whereabouts still unknown, Farzana Majeed’s brother Zakir Majeed, a senior student leader, was abducted in June 2009 from Mastung and he’s also still in the custody of Pakistani forces but his family has not been made aware of his whereabouts. Abdul Qadeer Baloch’s son Jalil Reki a leader of the Baloch Republic Party (BRP) was abducted from Quetta and later killed in custody.

The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons has made it their task to strive for the safe recovery of all Baloch abducted persons instead of only struggling for their loved ones. Their struggle has been the most peaceful, democratic, and longest ever struggle for the safe release of Baloch enforced-disappeared persons.

They are struggling in accordance with International Human Rights laws, UN, and Geneva conventions but the Pakistani state’s intolerance and frustration have now left no space for the peaceful struggle.