TBP Editorial
2022 finished with the news of forcible disappearances of two Baloch students from Gresha, Siraj Noor and Arif Gajian of Law College Sargodha. Whereas, the new year in its first week has already witnessed eight cases of frocible disappearance of Baloch youth from different parts of Balochistan.
Forcible disappearances are being used as a tactic to counter the Baloch struggle for years. Since early 2000s, Baloch activists are being forcibly disappeared to quell the Baloch struggle for rights. Thousands of forcibly disappeared activists have been killed under detention and their bullet riddled dead bodies have been dumped on road sides or in remote areas. The so-called Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) is also reportedly involved in forcible disappearances and the fake encounters of Baloch activists.
According to Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, an organisation of victim families, thousands have been disappeared from Balochistan, and the practice still continues. Mama Qadeer and other victim families have continued their protest in front of press clubs against forcible disappearances for last thirteen years. The victim families have continuously been organising protest rallies and sit-ins to have their voices heard.
Forcible disappearances have socially and economically impacted thousands of families in Balochistan but the authorities in Pakistan are only limited to forming investigative commissions. The Balochistan high court has also formed a commission that is headed by provincial home minister, who denies that there are any cases of forcible disappearances. These commissions truly depict the non-serious approach of authorities to resolve the issue. Whereas, the continuous silence of international human rights organisations has provided impunity to the perpetrators, resulting in a humanitarian crisis in Balochistan.