Balochistan's Crisis Deepens: Enforced Disappearances Spark Outcry

In a harrowing incident in Balochistan's Panjgur district, a 17-year-old named Sajjad Baloch was reportedly abducted by armed men last week, a chilling addition to the province's severe crisis of enforced disappearances. The episode unfolded near the NADRA office in broad daylight, with witnesses watching helplessly as Sajjad, a shopkeeper, was seized by men rumored to be part of a 'death squad.' Despite the event being reported, authorities have yet to recognize the case or initiate investigations.

This distressing event coincides with the enduring protest by the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) in Quetta. For nearly 6,000 days, the VBMP, led by Nasrullah Baloch, has been advocating for transparency and accountability in addressing these disappearances. The VBMP's protest camp draws support from across the region, with families sharing personal stories of missing relatives, including Shafi Muhammad, who detailed his brother Jameel Ahmed's suspicious detention by counterterrorism forces without a warrant, yet no police report has been registered.

Nasrullah Baloch, VBMP's chairman, has vocally condemned these disappearances as flagrant human rights violations, urging for either formal legal proceedings or immediate release of the detainees. These disappearances signal a critical lapse in Pakistan's legal obligations and protections in Balochistan, underscoring a dire need for rectifying measures, as reported by The Balochistan Post.