The report of the commission on ‘missing Baloch students’, headed by Akhtar Mengal, has been submitted to the court.
The commission was established to investigate the issue of missing Baloch students. The commission includes Sardar Akhtar Mengal as the Convener, Additional Secretary Senate Major (Retd) Hasnain Haider as the Secretary Commission, Senators Mian Raza Rabbani, Mushahid Hussain Syed, Kamran Murtaza, former Senator Afrasiab Khattak, former Chief Secretary Balochistan Nasir Mahmood Khosa, and MNA Asad Umar, Professor Dr. Asma Faiz, Ali Ahmed Kurd, Hafeezur Rehman Chaudhry, Secretary Ministry of Interior, and Secretary Ministry of Human Rights.
Through extensive fact-finding visits, data collection exercises, and analysis of testimonies from various stakeholders, the commission strongly acknowledged the seriousness of the problem of ethnic profiling and enforced disappearances of Baloch students. In its comprehensive report, the commission has suggested short-term and broad-based measures to alleviate the suffering of Baloch students. The commission hopes that all key stakeholders will realize the sensitivity of the issue of alienation of Baloch youth and take corrective measures suggested in the report.
Concerned Ministries/Divisions, Provincial Government Officials, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Vice Chancellors of Universities, renowned journalists, experts, human rights activists, and representatives of various political parties in Balochistan were invited for a detailed briefing and to provide input on this matter. The feedback received helped to strengthen the results and recommendations.
Overall, the commission held 21 meetings, which included a visit to the city of Quetta in Balochistan.
Akhtar Mengal appreciated the efforts of every member of the commission in finalizing the detailed report and reiterated that the report goes beyond humanitarian questions, and will play an important role in solving sustainable and complex issues.
Akhtar Mengal, Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, Mr. Nasir Mehmood Khosa, and the Secretaries of the Ministry of Human Rights and Ministry of Home Affairs have submitted “Additional Notes” as part of the main report. The Commission has thanked the Senate Secretariat for providing all possible support in finalizing the report.