Families of Missing Persons Protest Across Balochistan as Enforced Disappearances Continue
SHAAL (QUETTA): Families of forcibly disappeared victims in Balochistan have staged ongoing protests in multiple districts, demanding the immediate recovery of their loved ones and condemning a decades-long pattern of human rights violations by Pakistan state authorities.
In Turbat, Kech district, the family of eighth-grade student Balach Dilwash, forcibly disappeared from his home in Apsar Balochi Bazaar on October 21, 2025, announced that they will begin protests, including on the CPEC road, if he is not returned within a week.
Balach’s family stated that he has been missing since being taken by Pakistani forces and that despite registering a First Information Report (FIR) and meeting with district officials, no progress has been made. The family emphasised that if any allegations exist, Balach should be produced in court to guarantee his right to legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, in Mand Balochabad, Kech district, a protest entered its fourth consecutive day against the enforced disappearance of Fahad son of Usman, Hamood son of Muhammad Jan and Haroon son of Muhammad, who were detained by Pakistani forces late at night on October 23. The sit-in, organized by the families and local residents, has blocked the main highway connecting Mand, causing long traffic queues.
Families rejected offers from district officials to end the protest in exchange for promises that the missing individuals would be recovered within ten days, citing repeated unfulfilled assurances in the past. Protesters also announced plans to launch a shut-down strike, calling on the business community to join their demonstration.
In Quetta, the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) protest camp continued for the 5,983rd consecutive day outside the Quetta Press Club. Families of Sagheer Ahmed and Iqrar Baloch, residents of Awaran, demanded their immediate recovery. The men were reportedly taken into custody from Ormara Check Post on June 11, 2025, and transferred to an undisclosed location.
VBMP Executive Committee member Niaz Muhammad appealed to the government to take immediate and effective measures to end enforced disappearances. He urged authorities to produce anyone facing charges in court for a transparent trial and to release those found innocent, providing relief to grieving families.
These protests come amid a broader pattern of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, which human rights organisations have repeatedly described as a serious and persistent issue. Pro independence groups, local social activists and human rights organisation accuse Pakistan state institutions of detaining political activists, students and civilians and holding them in secret custody, often without accountability.
Amnesty International, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and other rights groups have long called for the establishment of effective mechanisms to end enforced disappearances and ensure transparency and justice for affected families.
The ongoing protests across Turbat, Mand Balochabad and Quetta underscore the widespread anger and frustration among Baloch families over the prolonged disappearance of their loved ones. Despite repeated appeals, assurances, and registered FIRs, the missing individuals remain unaccounted for, fuelling growing public demonstrations and calls for accountability from Pakistan state authorities.
