By: Sagaar Baloch
It is a well-known fact that every occupying and brutal state has consistently suppressed the voices of resistance among the native population through various means, including mass killings, forced abductions, and the dumping of mutilated bodies of those who have disappeared.
Pakistan, following in the footsteps of colonial powers, has used its extensive powers to oppress the Baloch people in every possible way, including the practice of enforced disappearances.
Numerous Baloch individuals, including students, teachers, doctors, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders, have been forcibly taken away from their families and friends, held in dark torture cells by state officials, including secret intelligence agencies (referred to as law enforcement agencies), and those acting on their behalf.
Forced disappearances, which have never been justified anywhere, constitute a humanitarian crisis for us. According to the Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), there have been over 50,000 registered cases of disappearances, including 300 women, with more than 20,000 mutilated dead bodies dumped.
Some people believe that forced abductions began during the regime of Pervez Musharraf, the former President and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), while others claim that it started during the military operations in Balochistan in the 1970s, when Asadaullah Mengal, son of the late Sardar Atta Ullah Mengal, and his friend Ahmed Shah Baloch were taken away and their whereabouts remain unknown. Regardless, this practice has continued under subsequent governments.
In 2017, BSO Azad (BSO-AZAD) designated the 8th of June as “Baloch Missing Persons’ Day” to remember those who remain captive and untraceable. On this day in 2009, Zakir Majeed, the then vice chairman of the organization, was forcibly taken away from Isplanji area of Mastung, Balochistan, and his whereabouts are still unknown. The 8th of June serves as an occasion to express the deep anguish of the families going through such experiences.
Let us discuss the different perspectives on the suffering endured by the victims’ families and the severe human rights violations. Considering this, BSO Azad designated the 8th of June as “Baloch Missing Persons’ Day.” The views are as follows:
- Families:
To secure the safe release of their loved ones, the Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) has been conducting a long-term movement, including a hunger strike camp in Shaal (Quetta) and Karachi, which has been ongoing for at least 5,060 days, making it the world’s longest strike camp. The families of Baloch missing persons have tirelessly demonstrated in different areas, including Islamabad, Karachi, and Shaal (Quetta), demanding the safe and immediate release of their loved ones. In 2014, they embarked on a long march covering a distance of 3,000 kilometers from Shaal to Islamabad via Karachi.
Zakir Majeed’s family has staged numerous protests for his safe recovery, with Farzana Majeed participating in the long march from Shaal to Karachi, and Zakir’s mother taking part in the hunger strike camp of VBMP and all demonstrations related to this cause. Zakir’s mother has pleaded with the authorities to produce her son before a court for a fair trial. Zakir’s sister, Dr. Shabana Majeed, told Voice of America (VoA) that her mother has been waiting for Zakir’s release for 14 years, and the agony she bears in his absence cannot be explained in words.
Dr. Deen Muhammad Baloch, an MBBS Doctor from Mashkay, was abducted from the Ornach area of Khuzdar in the same year. His wife questions whether she should consider herself a widow or a wife, while his daughters, Sammi Deen and Mehlab Deen, express how their entire childhood was marred by protests and strikes.
Zahid Baloch, the former chairman of BSO-AZAD from Naal Khuzdar, was abducted from Shaal (Quetta) in 2014, leaving his wife and child uncertain about his fate. Shabbir Baloch, the former spokesperson of BSO Azad, disappeared from Kech in 2016, causing his sister, Seema Baloch, to lament the loss of peace and tranquility in her life, leading to mental distress.
Ramzan Baloch, who was abducted in 2009, remains missing, and his younger daughter no longer remembers her father’s face.
Rashid Hussain from Khuzdar was forcibly taken from the UAE and illegally deported to Pakistan in 2019, but his whereabouts remain unknown. His mother has been actively protesting in Shaal, Karachi, Hub, and Islamabad, pleading for Rashid to be produced before the court for a fair trial. She passionately states that Rashid is innocent and represents the light in her home, so his disappearance equates to the disappearance of that light.
The families of the victims strive to maintain hope, but they also fear the worst. Unfortunately, this trend of enforced disappearances continues to afflict the Baloch youth, deeply affecting their lives.
- Activists and Intellectuals:
Dr. Mahrang Baloch, an MBBS Doctor and political activist who witnessed the abductions of her father and brother (later released), stated to VICE media that Balochistan is an undeniable black hole where every political activist is subjected to forced abductions by security forces. She highlights the lack of media coverage and the families’ reliance on social media to make their voices heard.
Baloch intellectual and writer Surat Khan Marri, in his article “Baloch Ignored and Agonized,” emphasizes that Pakistani forces and agencies have abducted thousands of political activists, with approximately 300 bullet-riddled bodies of missing persons found in different locations.
Baloch intellectual Ustad Muhammad Ali Talpur, in an interview with The WIRE, affirms the continuous crackdown on the Baloch people. He criticizes the media blackout that has persisted for decades, leaving the rest of the country unaware of the situation. He emphasizes that abductions have never ceased, and the scale of disappearances is much higher than commonly known.
- Balochistan’s Parliamentary Parties:
The Baloch Parliamentary Parties, including BNP-Mengal headed by Akhtar Mengal and NP headed by Dr. Malik, have also campaigned on the issue of enforced disappearances, particularly on June 8th, recognized as Baloch Missing Persons Day. However, these parties’ actions have been criticized by the aforementioned intellectuals for their lack of substantive efforts in addressing this serious issue.
These parties are accused of exploiting the Baloch Missing Persons’ case as a political tool, vocalizing their concerns when out of power but disregarding the issue once they attain positions of influence and authority.
Response from International Organizations:
When BSO Azad designated June 8th as Baloch Missing Persons Day, international organizations started to pay attention to the grave human rights violations in Balochistan. Amnesty International’s South Asia Chapter condemned enforced disappearances in Pakistan, stressing the pain experienced by hundreds of families over the past two decades. They called for an end to enforced disappearances and for the Pakistani authorities to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for these human rights violations.
Human Rights Watch, in feedback given in 2021 to then Prime Minister Imran Khan’s delegation during a meeting with the victims’ families, stated that “Prime Minister Imran Khan should back promises with accountability.” The organization added that Pakistani authorities, including law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system, have long failed to demonstrate the political will to end enforced disappearances.
Reaction of International Media:
Although there is a complete blackout of print and digital media in Balochistan, which is currently in a state of siege and war, some international media outlets have made efforts to highlight the issue. The international media’s response has been limited, but they took the initiative to shed light on the case after learning about the designation of June 8th as “Baloch Missing Persons Day” by the prominent organization BSO Azad. The following are some notable examples:
On February 12, 2023, The WIRE published a report on enforced disappearances, stating that “disappearance is a crime against humanity.”
ANI News published a report on September 4, 2022, citing the Human Rights Council of Balochistan and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. The report mentioned, “According to several reports, innocent Baloch people are killed in fake encounters, and their mutilated bodies are recovered from remote places.”
The Guardian interviewed Sammi Deen Baloch, the daughter of missing Dr. Deen Muhammad Baloch and an activist, on July 6, 2022. The report stated, “More than 5,000 people are missing in Balochistan. Pakistan’s security services have ‘disappeared’ Baloch people for 20 years.”
On May 4, 2022, Al Jazeera, one of the most internationally renowned media outlets, published a report on enforced disappearances. The report mentioned, “Enforced disappearances have been happening across Pakistan for the last 20 years. In the southwest province of Balochistan, some human rights groups say thousands of people are missing. Balochistan was annexed by Pakistan in 1948, soon after partition from India, and there has been a separatist movement ever since. Many of the Baloch people say they feel they are subject to state repression.”
On January 10, 2017, BBC English provided coverage of a protest and published a report stating, “Pakistan is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for reporters and human rights activists, and critics of the powerful military have been detained, beaten, or killed.”
Response from Pakistan:
Organizations:
According to Amina Masood Janjua, a human rights activist and chairperson of Defense of Human Rights Pakistan, there are more than 5,000 reported cases of forced disappearances in Pakistan.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, a non-profit and non-governmental organization, issued a report in 2019, which was referenced in The WIRE’s report. It stated that around 47,000 Baloch individuals have disappeared.
Government:
In 2011, the government of Pakistan formed a Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances to investigate such cases in the country. According to Amnesty International, the commission has received approximately 3,000 cases of forced disappearances thus far. As of 2021, the Commission reports having received a total of 7,000 cases since its establishment.
The cases gained more attention after the declaration of “Baloch Missing Persons Day,” prompting the commissions to receive an increased number of cases and pressuring Pakistan to address the violations.
In June 2021, the Pakistan Interior Minister introduced a bill in the National Assembly that criminalized enforced disappearances in the country, carrying a 10-year imprisonment penalty for those found guilty. The bill was later passed by the National Assembly in November 2021.
Several commissions and committees have been established to address the issue, but they have failed to control the security forces and agencies responsible for enforced disappearances.
Former Chairman NAB Justice retired Javed Iqbal initiated a commission and a bill to address the issue, but unfortunately, the bill itself disappeared, and no progress was made towards resolving this grave human rights violation.
Additionally, in September 2022, the Federal Law Minister visited an ongoing sit-in protest in front of the Governor’s house in Shaal (Quetta) and promised the families of the disappeared that no one would be subjected to fake encounters or enforced disappearances. However, there has been little progress on the ground to fulfill these promises.
Furthermore, a commission was formed by the recent government, presided over by Akhtar Mengal, but it has not yielded positive results. Reports of abductions from different areas of Balochistan continue to increase. Despite their intentions, the widespread human rights violation persists.
Conclusion:
On June 8th, known as “Baloch Missing Persons Day,” scores of protesters take to the streets to remember their missing family members and acquaintances. They appeal to the authorities to take action against enforced disappearances and, above all, to recover the missing persons.
This day serves as a reminder that the disappeared individuals are at risk of torture and even death. If they are released, they bear physical and psychological scars. If they are killed, their families never recover from the loss. Disappearances are a tool of terror that affects not only individuals and families but the entire Baloch nation.
In light of these ongoing grave human rights violations in Balochistan, BSO Azad has designated June 8th as “Baloch Missing Persons Day” to commemorate the captives and abductees who have shown immense courage through their passionate struggle and political activism, despite facing consistent and severe torture in the custody of Pakistani forces in dark torture cells. This day also marks the extended years of disappearance of Zakir Majeed each passing year.
Therefore, June 8th is not merely a day; it serves as a reminder of the ongoing anguish and the urgent need for action.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Balochistan Post or any of its editors.