The Baloch Students Action Committee has confirmed that Chairperson Sabiha Baloch’s brother and cousin have gone missing. The sources said that Shahmir Baloch, Ms Baloch’s brother, was detained along with four others from the engineering university in Khuzdar on June 19. His companions were released, but Shahmir is still held in custody. Murtaza Baloch, Ms Baloch’s cousin, was detained a few days later on June 25.
However, the enforced disappearances of aforementioned youths occurred in June but the BSAC confirmed the news on Saturday. According to the BSAC Karachi Zone Secretary General, Pir Jan Baloch, Dr. Sabiha’s brother and cousin were forcibly disappeared and the family was being blackmailed to remain silent.
Baloch activists on social media vehemently condemned the abduction and demanded the immediate release of detainees. Mama Qadeer Baloch, the Vice-Chairman of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, said that the abduction of Ms Baloch’s brother and cousin are an attempt at silencing Baloch activists. He said that security forces have been given a free hand in Balochistan and emboldened to the extent that they can now detain anyone from anywhere without any accountability.
Activist Sameer Baloch said that the said abductions are the continuation of the state-sponsored “oppression” of Baloch students and activists. He asked the human rights groups to take notice of the issue.