Balochistan: Protests Held Against Enforced Disappearances, Families Demand Justice

Families Demand Justice for Missing Brothers in Kharan

QUETTA: The families of two missing brothers, Hafiz Ali and Mubarak Siyah Paad, have been protesting in Kharan since yesterday, demanding their immediate recovery.

The two men were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces on February 4, 2025, from Kharan and Quetta. The protest, now in its second day, is being led by the Siyah Paad Baloch tribe under the banner of Siyah Paad Unity and has gained widespread support from the local community.

A shutter-down strike was observed on Thursday, February 6, 2025, in Kharan, as businesses shut down in solidarity with the families of the abducted men. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee Kharan Zone has also joined the sit-in.

Protesters are demanding that the authorities immediately bring the missing brothers to light.

 They have warned that if their demands are not met, they will escalate the protest, including blocking all highways and holding the administration responsible.

Gwadar Rally Demands Justice for Muslim Baloch

A large rally was held in Gwadar by the family of Muslim Baloch, who was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces on December 10, 2024.

The rally saw significant participation from women, children, and youth, with passionate chants against the ongoing trend of enforced disappearances. The family of Muslim, son of Ahmad Ali, has been calling for his immediate release, arguing that if he is guilty of any crime, he should be tried in court.

However, they have raised concerns about the continued practice of enforced disappearances, particularly against Baloch individuals, who are often kept incommunicado for years.

The rally highlighted broader human rights concerns in Balochistan, with protesters demanding an end to the disappearances and relief for Baloch mothers who have been enduring the trauma of losing their loved ones.

Appeal for Justice from Brother of Missing Baloch Man

Rehmat Khan Mehkani Marri, from the Mirani Dam area, appealed for justice in a press conference at the Turbat Press Club, recounting the forced disappearance of his elder brother, Sanwal Khan Mehkani, on February 13, 2013.

Rehmat shared that his brother was abducted while they were on their way to Kohlu, with their car being stopped on the National Highway and both brothers blindfolded before being taken to an unknown location. Rehmat was released after 13 months in detention, but his brother remains missing to this day.

He said that he repeatedly appeared before various authorities and police stations. He provided his brother’s documents when the commissioner of Sibi called for families of missing persons to submit details of their disappeared loved ones. He also appeared before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in Dera Murad Jamali and was summoned by the Turbat police, but he has still not received justice.

During the press conference, he said if his brother is guilty, he should be tried in court, and they would not object to any legal consequences. However, if his brother is innocent, he pleaded for his immediate release and for him to be brought into the public eye. “I am now drowning in debts and am the sole provider for my young children,” Rehmat said, expressing his distress.