Balochistan: Mother of abducted student leader appeals for protest on June 8

QUETTA: The mother of Zakir Majeed, former student leader, said on Saturday, “My son Zakir Majeed Baloch has been missing for the last 11 years. We, together with Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, took the path of peaceful protest for the recovery of Zakir Majeed, but today, 11 years have passed and we are not being provided with any information regarding Zakir Majeed.”

Thousands of mothers, sisters, daughters, sons and fathers whose loved ones have been abducted and disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan are bereaved and have been protesting for the recovery of their beloved ones but their plea for justice have fallen into deaf ears and ignored.

She said that it is painful for a mother to endure 11 years of separation from her son. “The mothers of Balochistan have overcome this pain and with this pain, they leave the world. I am also one of these thousands of suffering mothers and have been waiting for my loved son for 11 years.”

Zakir Majeed’s mother appealed to all Human Rights activists to take part in a protest in front of Quetta Press Club on Monday, June 8 for the recovery of Zakir Jan and other missing persons. “Express solidarity and play your part in highlighting the Missing Persons’ case,” she added.

Zakir Majeed’s mother said in her message that she will not be able to participate in the protest in person due to ill health but she hopes that the children, the elderly, mothers and sisters of Balochistan will not forget Zakir Jan and continue to strive for his recovery.

She appealed to all Baloch activists, students and others to join the protest to be the voice of a helpless mother of Balochistan.

It is pertinent to mention that Zakir Majeed – former senior vice chairman of BSO-Azad was abducted on 8^th of June 2008 along with two other friends. However, his friends were later released but Zakir Majeed has been missing ever since.

Zakir Majeed’s sister Farzan Majeed Baloch has been one of the front line activists who played a key role in highlighting the cases of enforced disappearances in Balochistan.

She is regarded also one of the first female activists from Balochistan who inspired thousands of other female students and women to become part of the current Baloch freedom struggle.

Farzana along with Mama Qadeer Baloch and more than a dozen other Baloch sisters and youth was one of the leaders of the historical peaceful long march from Quetta to Karachi and Karachi to Islamabad to record their protest against enforced disappearances in Balochistan.

Zakir’s sister Farzana Majeed was later forced to migrate to the United States of America because of continuous harassment and intimidation by Pakistan forces and its local goons. She currently resides in the United States where she sought political asylum.