BFS Warns of Nationwide Protests If Chairman Not Released
QUETTA: The Baloch Students Front (BSF) has issued a statement demanding the immediate and safe recovery of its chairman, Javed Baloch, whose enforced disappearance has sparked outrage across academic and activist circles in Balochistan and beyond.
In the statement, the BSF described Javed Baloch as a “peaceful, capable and principled student leader” who has consistently advocated for youth education, student rights, and the promotion of constitutional and democratic values. His extrajudicial arrest and disappearance were condemned as a blatant violation of Pakistan’s constitution and an attack on students’ political awareness and intellectual freedom.
“The extrajudicial arrest, torture, and disappearance of a peaceful leader is not only unconstitutional, it is a direct assault on democratic values and the right to dissent,” the BSF said.
The organisation criticised state institutions for targeting student leaders under the guise of security operations, stating that the constitution guarantees all citizens the right to free expression, peaceful organisation and political participation. “State institutions are trampling these rights by systematically targeting peaceful student voices,” the statement read.
According to the BSF, Javed Baloch’s disappearance has created a climate of fear in academic institutions, with many students feeling psychologically distressed and unsafe. The group emphasised that the abduction and torture of peaceful students without charge underscores a grim reality—peaceful political activism has effectively been criminalised.
The BSF spokesperson appealed to the government, judiciary, state institutions, and human rights organisations to intervene and ensure Javed Baloch’s safe recovery. “We demand an immediate end to the wave of enforced disappearances targeting students,” the spokesperson added.
The group also issued a warning: if Javed Baloch is not recovered promptly, the BSF will exercise its democratic right to launch countrywide protests and resistance. “We reserve the right to respond with full force through peaceful, constitutional means,” the statement concluded.
The disappearance of Javed Baloch adds to growing concerns about the treatment of student leaders and activists in Balochistan, where reports of abductions, custodial violence, and suppression of dissent have become increasingly frequent.
Human rights organisations have repeatedly urged the Pakistani government to investigate cases of enforced disappearances and to uphold the rule of law. However, critics argue that such incidents continue with impunity, contributing to deepening mistrust between the state and oppressed nations particularly Baloch, Pashtun and Sindhis.
