Baloch Students’ Forced Disappearances on the Rise: BSAC Demands Immediate Action

SHAAL (QUETTA): The Baloch Students Action Committee (BSAC) has raised serious concerns over the alarming increase in the forced disappearances of Baloch students, political activists, and other civilians in the region, describing it as a “severe humanitarian crisis.”

The committee has criticized both local authorities and national media for their silence on the issue, demanding the safe recovery of all those forcibly disappeared, including Zakariya Ismail, a student of law abducted earlier this week.

In a statement issued by the BSAC spokesperson, the organization emphasized the growing frequency of human rights violations in Balochistan. “The ongoing struggle in Balochistan, marked by power struggles and competing narratives of oppression, is disproportionately affecting those who are not directly involved in this conflict,” the spokesperson said. “The Baloch people are enduring double oppression, trapped in a situation that seems to have no end in sight. The daily occurrences of forced disappearances, mutilated bodies, and fake encounters have shaken the very essence of Balochistan.”

The BSAC also pointed out that demanding basic rights, including the right to life, has become criminalised. Peaceful activists and students are being silenced, with many forcibly disappeared and labelled as threats to state security. “Students are being abducted, while fake encounters in remote areas have seen an alarming rise. Meanwhile, those in power continue to escalate the suffering of Balochistan, with both the national and international media staying eerily silent,” the statement added.

The committee drew attention to the recent abduction of Zakariya Ismail, a graduate of Karachi University who was preparing for his L.L.M. admission. Zakariya was forcibly disappeared from Hazara Goth in Karachi, and his family has yet to receive any information regarding his whereabouts. According to the BSAC, his abduction is part of a broader trend of forced disappearances, with dozens of students from cities such as Khuzdar, Quetta, Mastung, Karachi, and other parts of Balochistan also being targeted in recent days.

“The increasing number of forced disappearances of Baloch students is deeply troubling,” the statement continued. “The BSAC demands the immediate recovery of Zakariya Ismail and all others who have been abducted. We call for an immediate end to this inhumane and unconstitutional practice.”

The BSAC further appealed to both national and international human rights organizations to urgently address the situation in Balochistan and hold the authorities accountable for these ongoing violations.

The abduction of Zakariya Ismail has once again highlighted the growing concerns over the safety of students and activists in Balochistan. As the region continues to suffer under systemic repression and a lack of justice, the Baloch Nation’s call for accountability and justice grows louder with each passing day.