Balochistan: Five Abducted, Including Four Students from Karachi, Three Brothers from Kalat

QUQUETTA: Five individuals, including four Baloch students, were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces in Karachi on the night of December 9, 2024. The students had been residing in the city for educational purposes.

In separate incidents, three Baloch brothers were abducted from Kalat, Balochistan, two people were kidnapped from Kech and another from Hub Chowki Balochistan sparking protests from their families and local residents.

According to reports, the students were taken from their residence in the Maskan Chorangai area of Karachi by personnel from the Pakistani security forces and the intelligence agency ISI at around 1:00 AM. Eyewitnesses said the students were detained without any legal notice or justification.

The abducted students are:

Gumshad Baloch son of Ghani, a resident of Mand, Kech, Balochistan. He is an M.Phil student in the Philosophy Department at the University of Karachi.

Doda Elahi is the son of Elahi Bakhsh, a resident of Bal Nigwar. He is a sixth-semester student in the Department of International Relations at the University of Karachi.

Muzammil son of Abdul Ghaffar, a resident of Pasni. He is also a 6th-semester student in the Philosophy Department at the University of Karachi.

Miraj Shad, son of Gumshad, is a recent graduate from Karachi University who aspires to pursue an M.Phil. He is a resident of Turbat, Balochistan, and a member of the National Democratic Party (NDP) ‘s central organizing committee.

In a separate incident, Ismael son of Ibrahim, a resident of Mand and a worker in Dubai, was forcibly disappeared from Hassan Square, Karachi.

This is not the first time these students have faced such brutality. Gumshad and Doda Elahi were previously subjected to enforced disappearance in June 2022 and were released after eight days of detention, following peaceful protests by their families and civil society.

Press Conference at Karachi Press Club

Sammi Din Baloch, a leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), held a press conference at the Karachi Press Club to protest the abductions.

In her opening remarks, she said: “Whenever a Baloch addresses you, it is almost certain that another innocent Baloch has been subjected to enforced disappearance. Not a single day passes in Balochistan without such atrocities. Today, we are here to bring another tragic incident to light, hoping that through your platform, our voice will reach those in power.”

Baloch students are increasingly becoming targets of enforced disappearances, with incidents not only in Balochistan but also in Islamabad and other cities across Pakistan.

Sammi Din Baloch also emphasised the broader implications of such actions, adding, “These disappearances are part of a systematic effort to instil fear within the Baloch community, particularly among the youth, in an attempt to deprive them of their right to education.”

The BYC activist urged the authorities to release the abducted students within two days or face intensified protests.

“We appeal for the immediate and safe recovery of all these students and Ismael, son of Ibrahim. We urge the authorities to ensure their swift release. If these young individuals are not released within the next two days, we will be forced to announce more drastic actions.”

Three Brothers Abducted in Kalat; Family Blocks Highway

Pakistani forces abducted three brothers—Mureed Ahmed, Mahboob Ali, and Irshad Ahmed, sons of Mohammad Ismael—on the night of December 8-9 in the Kalat district.

Their family and local residents have blocked the Quetta-Karachi highway at Mangchar Bazaar in protest.

The brothers were taken from their home in Kali Zakariazai, and their families have vowed to continue protesting until their safe release.

Mureed Ahmed had recently returned from the hospital after receiving treatment for mental health issues, and his family is especially concerned about his well-being.

They have called on the authorities to either release the brothers or provide information about their whereabouts.

Abductions in Hub Chowki and Kech

In the industrial city of Hub Chowki, Balochistan, Pakistani forces detained Wasim Baloch son of Murad Bakhsh, a resident of Dandar in Turbat, on the evening of Sunday, December 8.

Pakistani forces also conducted raids in the Balicha area of Kech, Balochistan, and reportedly abducted several individuals. So far, the identity of one person has been confirmed as Ustaad Daud.

In a similar incident in Nasirabad, forces abducted Siraj son of Rahim Bakhsh, during a late-night raid. The whereabouts and well-being of all the individuals mentioned remain unknown at the time of filing this report.

Baloch Teacher’s Family Appeals for His Release

In a related development, the family of Master Fareed Ahmad Badini, a respected teacher and citizen, made an emotional appeal during a press conference in Nushki.

Master Fareed, who had been forcibly taken from his home in Killi Badal Kariz on October 13, 2024, by armed men in both uniform and plain clothes, has been missing ever since.

His His family, including his wife Samina Badini, daughter Lubaba Badini, and sons Safwan and Marwan, expressed deep concern over his health and safety.

The family revealed that Master Fareed, who had been working as an SST in charge at Government Middle School Killi Badal Kariz, suffers from diabetes, eye problems, and high blood pressure. They are deeply worried about his lack of access to medication and proper medical care, fearing for his life.

“We have appealed to various organizations and authorities for his safe return, but so far, our cries have gone unheard. We are in a state of constant mental distress as we have no information regarding his well-being,” they said.

In a statement, the International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (IVBMP) has condemned these acts and urged the global community to pressure Pakistan to act decisively in locating the missing individuals and ending these systematic abuses.

The IVBMP further stressed that the targeting of Baloch students is an attempt to suppress educational progress and instil fear within the Baloch community, which is intolerable in the 21st century.