Students Stage Sit-In at Bolan Medical College After Forcible Disappearance of Khadija Baloch

SHAAL, BALOCHISTAN: Students and colleagues of Khadija Baloch staged a sit-in outside Bolan Medical College (BMC) today, demanding her immediate and safe return following her forcible disappearance from the BMC Girls’ Student Hostel.

According to eyewitnesses, on the night of April 21, at around 11:30 PM, personnel from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) raided the hostel and took Khadija Baloch, a Turbat native and fourth-semester BS Nursing student, into custody. Witnesses described seeing her being dragged forcibly from the hostel, an incident that has left students in a state of fear and panic. Both female and male students have expressed feeling unsafe following the raid.

In response, students organised a sit-in outside the college, urging authorities to provide information about her whereabouts and ensure the safety of all students. Protesters criticised the BMC administration for remaining silent and failing to protect students during this crisis.

“This is not an exception. This is policy,” the protesters said, highlighting that enforced disappearances have long been used against Baloch families, including students, wives, daughters, and the bereaved, as a form of collective punishment.

Khadija Baloch, a widow, is the latest victim of systematic state violence.

Reports indicate that incidents of enforced disappearances are once again on the rise in Balochistan, with women increasingly targeted. Earlier this month, Hasina Baloch from Awaran, who was residing in Karachi’s Naval area, was taken into custody by Pakistani security forces and transferred to an unknown location, with no information provided about her whereabouts since.