VBMP Disputes ISPR’s Allegations Regarding Missing Persons in Balochistan

QUETTA: The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), led by Chairman Nasrullah Baloch and Vice Chairman Mama Qadeer Baloch, vehemently refuted recent claims made by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) concerning missing Persons in Balochistan.

 The VBMP said that the organisation has been fighting against forced disappearances in Balochistan since 2009 peacefully and under the laws of the country. “Therefore, we feel that it is our moral responsibility to respond with evidence to the allegations levelled by DGI ISPR regarding missing persons.”

The spokesperson of DGI ISPR in a recent press briefing made allegations that some people left the country but their names were in the list of missing persons. He also alleged that the names of Wadood Satakzai and Karim Jan, who were killed during clashes with Pakistan forces in Mach and Gwadar, were also on the list of Baloch Missing Persons.  

  Strongly rejecting the allegations VBMP said that Wadud Satakzai forcibly disappeared on August 12 2022 and was recovered on 9th February 2023. His recovery was confirmed by VBMP and his family which is on record. After the recovery of Wadud Satakzai, no organization including his family claimed that he was forcibly missing, nor was his name included in the list of missing persons of any organization.

“We have no information about him joining the BLA,” the statement read.

Similarly, VBMP said that Karim Jan was forcibly disappeared by the forces on May 23, 2022, and his arrest was confirmed by the Counter Terrorism Department CTD on July 31, 2022, accusing him of possessing explosive materials so his forced disappearance is undeniable.

Due to lack of evidence against, the court rightly acquitted him of all charges and on 17 August 2022 Karim Jan was released on the order of the court. His name was not included in the list of missing persons.

Regarding ISPR’s assertions about missing persons living abroad, VBMP emphasized that no such cases were recorded in their database of those living abroad or affiliated with armed groups fighting against the state.

They referred to an interview with surrendered individual Sarfaraz Bangulzai, a former member of Baloch armed resistance organizations, who failed to provide evidence supporting ISPR’s claims. Despite Bangulzai’s years spent in Afghanistan and recent surrender, he could not name any individuals living in Afghanistan whose names were on the missing persons list.

Sarfaraz Bangulzai claimed that Safeer Baloch is in Afghanistan and his name in the missing person’s list.  The VBMP clarified that no one has ever claimed that Safeer Baloch is missing and his name has never been on the list of forcibly disappeared persons. “It is Jameel Sarparah the brother of Safeer Sarparah Baloch who is missing.”

VBMP further highlighted the historical backdrop of enforced disappearances, citing the case of Asadullah Mengal son of Sardar Attaullah and his friend Ahmad Shah Kurd were forcibly disappeared by state agencies in 1976. Despite inquiries by then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, they were not accounted for.

 Instead, the head of intelligence agencies informed Bhutto that they had crossed into Afghanistan.

Nasrullah Baloch said that even after 50 years, the state institutions are spreading the same negative propaganda and false narrative about enforced disappearance in Balochistan. He said that the provincial and federal governments and the powerful institutions of the country were on the same page and were trying to complicate the issue of missing persons through negative propaganda.

The lack of seriousness from the government and institutions shows that they are not prepared to address this issue and they want to accelerate and those who have already disappeared will be killed in fake encounters by the CTD who have previously killed several disappeared persons in similar encounters.

The VBMP said that through this conference and media, “we want to tell the heads of the powerful institutions of the country and the provincial and federal government that the use of force in Balochistan, non-recovery of missing persons and killing of missing persons in fake encounters is resulting a deep sense of anger in Balochistan. These actions of state institutions are unconstitutional, inhuman atrocities and violations of human rights.

In Balochistan, all schools of thought, including women and children, the elderly and the youth, are expressing their anger by protesting against such atrocities. Therefore, the heads of powerful organizations and the provincial and federal governments should understand that the use of force in Balochistan will worsen the situation. Hence, the heads of the powerful institutions of the country and the provincial and federal governments must show seriousness and avoid the use of force in Balochistan.

VBMP said that Balochistan’s problem was political and must be solved politically. “The negative propaganda against missing persons must end, immediate steps should taken for recovery of disappeared persons and those accused of any wrongdoing must presented before courts and their cases processed through the legal system of the country. The VBMP also strongly urged that the ongoing killing of missing persons in fake encounters must stop.”