Balochistan: Stop Protesting or You Would not Even see Dead Body of Your Son

Elderly Baloch Man Threatened by Pakistani Forces for Protesting Son’s Forced Disappearance

QUETTA: An elderly Baloch man, Basham Baloch, has been issued a chilling warning by Pakistani security forces, threatening him to cease his protests demanding the return of his son, who has been forcibly disappeared for the past nine years. The forces threatened that he would never even be allowed to see his son’s dead body if he continued to campaign for his recovery.

Basham Baloch, a frail and elderly figure, has been subjected to continuous harassment by state institutions since participating in the Islamabad Long March. He has been stopped at every checkpoint, where his beard was pulled and he was publicly humiliated in an apparent effort to discourage his activism. Despite the maltreatment, Basham remains resolute in his quest for justice for his missing son, who disappeared in 2016.

The heart-wrenching story of Basham Baloch has drawn attention from human rights advocates, with Dr. Mahrang Baloch, the head of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), sharing an image of the elderly man on social media. In her post, Dr. Baloch noted that Basham’s continued struggle represents the pain of countless parents whose children have been forcibly disappeared by the state.

The image shared by Dr. Baloch shows Basham holding a photograph of his son, highlighting the emotional toll of years of uncertainty and loss. Despite the government’s attempts to silence him, Basham has persisted in attending protests from Islamabad to Quetta, demanding the safe return of his son.

Dr. Mahrang Baloch further revealed that she had met Basham Baloch at the Nasirabad programme during a recent awareness gathering for upcoming Baloch Genocide Remembrance Day national gathering in Dalbandin.

 “The meeting served as another poignant reminder of the enduring trauma faced by Baloch families, who continue to fight for the truth and justice behind the disappearance of their loved ones,” She added.

The ongoing plight of Basham Baloch highlights the broader issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, where many families have been torn apart by the state’s brutal policies.

The case of Basham Baloch is just one of many in the region, but his unwavering determination has brought much-needed attention to the ongoing crisis of forced disappearances affecting Baloch families across Balochistan.