Balochistan: Violent Protests In Hub, Baloch Community Make Big Allegations Against Pakistan Army

Islamabad: In Hub city of Balochistan, Pakistan, a new wave of enforced disappearances has once again forced Baloch families to take to the streets. The families of six Baloch individuals (Nasreen Baloch, Hani Baloch, Hary Nisa Baloch, Fatima Baloch, Farid Baloch, and Mujahid Baloch), including women and minors, are staging a sit-in outside the Lasbela Press Club.

What are the demands of the Baloch families?

They are demanding the immediate release of their loved ones and their production before a court of law by the Pakistani security forces. Fauzia Baloch, a leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, has termed this a dangerous new trend against women, aimed at spreading fear and suppressing the voices of the Baloch population. The families allege that these disappearances, carried out without any legal basis, constitute a grave violation of the constitution and human rights, and that the police have even refused to register an FIR. The protest continues with warnings of further escalation.

According to the Balochistan Post, these disappearances have caused immense mental anguish among the families and completely disrupted their daily lives. The families stated that while cases of young men disappearing have been recorded in the region for years, the recent disappearances of women, including minors and pregnant women, mark a dangerous new phase. The protesters questioned what crime their relatives could have possibly committed. They argued that if there are any allegations, the detainees should be presented before a court instead of being held incommunicado. They asserted that enforced disappearances violate both constitutional guarantees and international human rights norms.

What are the allegations of the Baloch families against the Pakistan Army?

The families also alleged that when they attempted to file an FIR at the local police station, the station officer refused to register their complaint. One protester asked how justice could be expected when the right to even register a case is denied. They said that this refusal forced them to take to the streets with their demands. The protesters demanded that the authorities provide information about the whereabouts and physical condition of the missing persons. They warned that if no information was provided, their protest campaign would be intensified.

According to Balochistan Post, appeals have also been made to national and international human rights organizations to intervene in the matter. Addressing the gathering, Fauzia Baloch, a leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, described the disappearances of women in Balochistan as a worrying development. She said that such actions are being used to instill fear in the Baloch population and to weaken political and social awareness. She further alleged that people are being regularly abducted, and in some cases, they are publicly humiliated before being taken away.