Balochistan: Family of Missing Student Blocks CPEC Road to Demand Her Release
KECH/SHAAL, BALOCHISTAN: Protests over the enforced disappearance of Khadija Baloch have intensified, with her family blocking a key China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) road in Kech after warning authorities they would escalate their actions if she was not released.
The sit-in, which began outside Bolan Medical Complex (BMC) in Quetta, has entered its eighth day without any official response regarding Khadija Baloch’s whereabouts. Demonstrators, led by her family and supported by local activists, say the continued silence from authorities has deepened their distress.
According to the family, Khadija Baloch, a nursing student, was taken into custody on the night of April 22 from the BMC girls’ hostel without a legal warrant and has not been presented before any court since. They have described the detention as unlawful and a violation of constitutional and fundamental human rights.
A day before the road blockade, the family held a detailed press conference at the protest site in Quetta. During the briefing, they outlined their demands and future course of action, calling for Khadija Baloch to either be immediately produced before a court of law if any charges exist or released unconditionally.
They also highlighted the growing pattern of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, warning that the inclusion of women in such cases has made the situation more alarming.
At the conclusion of the press conference, the family warned that if Khadija Baloch were not recovered by the following morning, they would be compelled to block the CPEC road as a form of protest.
On the eighth day of the sit-in, protesters carried out that warning, blocking the road in the Hironk area of Kech district near Turbat. The move marks a significant escalation in what had largely been a peaceful demonstration.
The family continues to demand Khadija Baloch’s immediate recovery or her presentation before a court in accordance with due legal process. They have also appealed to the media, human rights organisations, and civil society to raise the issue and push for justice.
In a statement, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) urged relevant authorities to take immediate notice of the case, warning that prolonged inaction risks further eroding public trust.
