Balochistan: BSF calls for Release of Enforced Disappeared Baloch Youth

SHAAL (QUETTA): The central spokesperson of the Baloch Students Front (BSF) has strongly condemned the ongoing practice of enforced disappearances of Baloch youth, calling it a continuation of colonial-style oppression in Balochistan.

The statement, issued Saturday, highlights the increasing frequency of these disappearances, particularly targeting students, political activists, and youth believed to be the future leaders of the Baloch nation.

According to the BSF spokesperson, Balochistan has been under a system of oppression for decades, with Baloch youth subjected to violence, brutality and torture. The spokesperson emphasised that on a daily basis, students, political activists and other young Baloch individuals are forcibly disappeared, with many later found mutilated and abandoned in remote areas.

One of the most recent victims of this alarming trend, Javed Musafer Baloch, Chairman of the Baloch Students Front, was forcibly abducted on April 23, 2025, from his residence in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Jauhar area. Javed Baloch, a student of law at Karachi University and a prominent leader of the Baloch student movement, was subjected to violence before being taken into custody. His disappearance caused widespread grief not only among his family members but also within the student community.

In a hopeful turn, the spokesperson confirmed that Javed Baloch was safely recovered on the night of September 18, 2025, after being held for over four months. According to the BSF, Javed was released late at night, almost 5 months after his abduction, and was in good health following the harrowing ordeal.

However, the spokesperson stressed that Javed’s case is not an isolated one. The BSF highlighted that enforced disappearances have become a routine practice in Balochistan, particularly targeting students and political activists with no evidence of wrongdoing. The spokesperson cited the case of Zahid Baloch, a student of International Relations at Karachi University, who has been missing for over two months. Despite ongoing appeals from his family and student groups, there has been no progress in his case.

The BSF also mentioned several other missing students including Zakariya Ismail, Anis Baloch, Shoaib Baloch, Saeed Baloch and Feroz Baloch, who remain unaccounted for and are feared to be imprisoned in unknown locations.

“This systematic abuse of human rights is nothing short of a war on education. The Baloch youth, who represent the future of the region, are being silenced through fear and brutality,” said the spokesperson in the statement. “The government’s failure to address these enforced disappearances is a clear violation of constitutional rights and basic freedoms.”

The BSF spokesperson called for an immediate halt to the practice of enforced disappearances, demanding that those responsible be held accountable. The BSF also urged the authorities to follow constitutional procedures, ensuring that any individuals accused of crimes are presented in a court of law rather than being subjected to extrajudicial detention.