Balochistan: Pakistani minister vows to resolve missing persons’ issue in three months

QUETTA:  A Pakistan minister, Ziaullah Langove, responsible for Home Affair in Balochistan has admitted that many of enforced-disappeared persons are in Pakistan intelligence agency’s custody and some might have died.’

He made these revelations during his visit to protest camp of the families of abducted Baloch and vowed to resolve the missing persons’ issue within the next three months.

‘If after three months the missing persons’ issue is not resolved, you [protesters] can chant slogans against me,’ he said in presence of media.

He said he could not fix the wrongdoings of the previous governments but he admitted that it was the responsibility of the provincial government to hear the grievances of the protesting families.

He described the protesting women and children as ‘our own people, not strangers’.

He claimed that the incumbent government is serious in resolving the missing persons’ issue and would not ‘score political points like others’.

Repeating the usual rhetoric previous Pakistani ministers, Zaiullah Langove said that ‘Six to seven hostile agencies are spoiling peace in Balochistan.

‘Our agencies claim that they have intelligence information those who joined the armed movement against the state and are living in mountains or in neighbouring Iran and Afghanistan are placed in missing persons’ list but the provincial government will move forward by following all legalities.’

The Express Tribune quoted him as saying, ‘unfortunately the families of missing persons were distracted and lured to pick arms against the state but we seek to bring them back on the negotiation table.’

Meanwhile, Voice for Baloch Missing Persons Chairman Nasrullah Baloch and Vice Chairman Mama Qadeer Baloch have strongly rejected the allegations of  about the inclusion of the names of those who are either in the mountains resisting against Pakistani state atrocities in Balochistan or who have gone abroad.

‘We have had three meetings with the representative of provincial cabinet and assured them that we will not mix the list of missing persons so that there are no hurdles and difficulties for government to check the list. Initially, we have provided the list of 110 missing persons to the government with their complete biodata.

‘These are people who have been missing from past many years and their families have been sitting at our protest camp.’

The VBMP leaders also rejected allegations of doing politics in the names of missing persons. ‘We have categorically denied our affiliation with any group and are affected people because we belong to affected families. We have been demanding that if the missing persons have done anything wrong they should be produced in courts according to the constitution of Pakistan.’

Nasrullah Baloch said that if the missing persons have been killed in custody, their families should be informed to ease their psychological suffering. ‘It is the moral, constitutional and religious responsibility of the state to inform the families of missing persons about the fate of their loved ones.’

He said there was no truth in allegations and accusations that people placed in the list of missing persons have gone to Iran, Afghanistan or to mountains.

It is pertinent to mention that after the attack on Chinese consulate in Karachi there were rumours that one of the attacker’s name was in the list of missing persons.

However, Nasrullah Baloch said, ‘We have set with members of provincial government representatives and showed them the ‘Abdul Razziq’ on the list of missing persons. But, this Razziq’s father name, place of abduction and place of residence are completely different than the Razziq who was one of the attackers.’

He said that it was a humanitarian issue and the government should act responsibly before making such claims that are untrue.

He said the cases of missing persons are registered in Supreme Court since 2005 and we have challenged the law enforcement institutions to prove their claims about the names of people on the list who are not in the country but to date, they have not given any evidence to support their claims.

‘The cases are in Pakistan’s highest court where the police have presented video footages during the judicial enquiry that the FC have abducted disappeared persons.

‘A Video footage was presented which showed FC vehicle hit a motorcycle and abducted two persons namely Mohammad Khan Marri and Mehrab Baloch in Quetta. They were then put in a vehicle and driven toward Quetta military cantonment.’

Despite Supreme Courts orders, the dead bodies of both abovementioned persons were discovered later. He said, ‘we should accept that our country’s intelligence agencies are involved in enforced-disappearances in the name of the national security.’

He said Voice for Baloch Missing Persons and families of missing persons have been demanding to resolve this issue according to Pakistan’s constitution. The families of abducted persons should be informed that under which law and constitution their loved ones have been disappeared?

‘These missing people have entire families behind them who continue to suffer until this issue is not resolved. The families have constitutional rights and those rights should be respected and protected.’