Families Of Abducted Baloch Students Demand Justice

 QUETTA: The family of two abducted leaders of the Baloch Student Organisation (BSO) including Rizwana Baloch, the wife of Jiand Baloch, held an important press conference today to raise awareness about the ongoing oppression faced by their family and the broader Baloch nation.

Rizwana Baloch said that on the night of July 26, the Central Chairman of the Baloch Students Organization (BSO), Jiand Baloch, and Senior Vice Chairman, Sher Baz Baloch, were arrested from Spini Road, Quetta, along with several others. While some detainees were released and others transferred to jail the following day, Jiand and Sher Baz were taken to an undisclosed location.

The family members of the abducted Student leaders said that the BSO has long served as a platform for political and social education among Baloch students. However, Baloch society has faced systemic oppression, with political and democratic activities severely restricted. Thousands of Baloch youths, including Jiand and Sher Baz, have been victims of forced disappearances and false charges for voicing their concerns against injustice.

The family recounted their ordeal, beginning with the abduction of Jiand, his father, and younger brother Hasnain on November 29, 2018. Jiand was tortured for eight months, while Hasnain was falsely charged and imprisoned in Karachi. These events have inflicted continuous mental and emotional suffering on the family, who now demand justice and the release of their loved ones.

The family highlighted the mass arrests and disappearances of youths in Quetta and Balochistan as a reaction to the national rally “Baloch Raaji Muchi” in Gwadar. They expressed concern about the disappearances from police custody and questioned the integrity of state institutions tasked with public protection.

The family urged state institutions to acknowledge Jiand and Sher Baz as responsible and peaceful political workers. However, they added if the two students were suspected of any wrongdoing, they should be presented before a court of law and the allegations against them dealt with accordingly.

They warned against any extrajudicial actions and announced a peace rally on August 12 if the missing individuals were not found by August 11. They called for support from progressive political and social groups and encouraged participation in social media campaigns to ensure the safety of Jiand and Sher Baz.

The press conference emphasised the need for justice and protection of the Baloch nation’s rights, calling on authorities to end the ongoing oppression and release the missing individuals.