Balochistan: Family of Disappeared Baloch Youth Announces Protest in Quetta
SHAAL (QUETTA): The family of Ghani Baloch, a missing resident of Khuzdar, has announced a protest demonstration to be held outside the Quetta Press Club on July 27, marking two months since his enforced disappearance.
The announcement was made during a press conference where the family accused state institutions, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies of indifference and failure to act.
Ghani Baloch was abducted near Khuzdar on May 25. Since then, his whereabouts remain unknown. Family members allege that despite repeated appeals to authorities, they have received no assistance or meaningful response.
“We are sitting before you, heartbroken and helpless. It has been two months, and we still don’t know where our son is,” said a relative during the press conference. “We have approached every constitutional and legal channel, but justice is nowhere in sight.”
The family said they attempted to file a First Information Report (FIR) at the Khuzdar police station on May 27, but the Station House Officer refused to accept the application. Their subsequent efforts to reach the Senior Superintendent of Police on May 28 were equally unproductive.
In a bid to draw attention to the case, the family has organised multiple actions over the past two months, including a press conference on May 29, a protest rally in Nushki on June 4, and a sit-in outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office on June 16. Despite a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner, no progress was reported.
Another protest was held on the Quetta-Taftan highway on June 29, after which the Assistant Commissioner promised the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT). However, no JIT has been constituted, and there has been no official follow-up.
The family also highlighted that petitions are currently pending in both the Balochistan High Court and the Khuzdar Sessions Court, but neither court has prompted the registration of an FIR or initiated effective action.
Adding to their frustration, the family say that police are now pressuring them to provide eyewitnesses—something they argue is the state’s responsibility. “It is the police’s duty to examine CCTV footage, vehicle records, and question drivers,” a family member said.
At the conclusion of the press conference, the family appealed to the media for fair and consistent coverage. “If journalists stay silent, there will be no voice left for us,” they said.
The family warned that if Ghani Baloch is not recovered and authorities continue to ignore their pleas, the protest on July 27 will be followed by more serious actions. They stressed that they are determined to keep pushing for justice, no matter how long it takes.
