Balochistan: Protests Continue Against Enforced Disappearances and Target Killings

QUETTA: Protesters took in various parts of Balochistan this week, demanding justice and the safe recovery of family members who have been forcibly disappeared, as well as an end to the violence plaguing the region.

The relatives of Hasrat Barkat, a man who was forcibly disappeared from the Panwan area of Jewani in Gwadar on February 20th, staged a sit-in by blocking the road in protest of his continued disappearance.

They said that Hasrat was taken into custody by Pakistani forces and subsequently shifted to an unknown location. Demonstrators have insisted that he be safely brought to light, reflecting the growing concerns about enforced disappearances in the region.

This year has seen a concerning rise in cases involving enforced disappearances, fake encounters, and targeted killings in Balochistan. Reports of such incidents have become an almost daily occurrence, fuelling anger and outrage among local communities.

Man shot dead in Kalat: In a related incident in Kalat, Abdullah Baloch, a young man who was returning home after appearing in court for his brother’s murder case, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen.

Family members reported that Abdullah had been threatened by the escaped killers of his brother, Qadoos Baloch, who was abducted and killed two years ago. Following his murder, Abdullah’s family placed his body at Midway and blocked the Quetta-Karachi main highway in protest, stating that they would not clear the road until justice was served.

The Baloch Yakjehti Council (BYC) has condemned the state police and administration, criticising their lack of action despite establishing numerous checkpoints to ostensibly ensure public safety. “They show no interest in protecting the Baloch people and instead allow those complicit in the genocide of the Baloch to operate freely,” a spokesperson from the council said.

Family of enforced disappeared man approaches VBMP for help: In the wake of these tensions, Ghulam Rasool Shahwani, a distraught father, approached the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) to seek help for his son, Sajid Shahwani, who was reportedly taken into custody by Counter-Terrorism Department (DTD) officers and other Pakistani forces on August 20, 2024.

Shahwani emphasised that his son is a student with no involvement in illegal activities and expressed frustration over the lack of information regarding his whereabouts. The distress caused by his son’s disappearance has left the family in deep anguish.

In a statement, the Chairman of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, Nasrullah Baloch, expressed solidarity with families of the Sajid Shahwani and demanded accountability. He insisted that if Sajid Shahwani is involved in any illegal activities, he should be brought to trial, but if he is innocent, he should be released immediately to spare his family further suffering.

The protests across Balochistan reflect a broader movement against the systematic campaign targeting the Baloch youth by state-backed criminal groups commonly known as death squads. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has called on the public to support the sit-ins and to raise their voices against ongoing human rights violations.

They also urged international organisations to take notice of the escalating violence and injustices faced by the Baloch people.