A seminar held at the Quetta Press Club this Thursday marked 14 years since the enforced disappearance of Zakir Majeed, a popular Baloch student leader. A diverse group of activists, intellectuals, and families of missing persons convened to shed light on the disturbing trend of enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
Zakir Majeed: The Silenced Voice
During the seminar, speakers reflected on Zakir Majeed’s influential role as a prominent student leader. They recounted how Zakir Majeed traversed the length and breadth of Balochistan, spreading awareness among the people about their rights and state injustices. However, these efforts were abruptly halted 14 years ago when Zakir Majeed fell victim to enforced disappearance. Attendees stated that since then, he has been enduring inhumane torture. Alarmingly, state institutions have maintained an unsettling silence about Zakir’s condition and whereabouts, leaving his mother and sister, Farzana Majeed, in a continuous struggle for his release.
Zakir Majeed’s enforced disappearance symbolizes more than just the loss of a student leader, according to the attendees. Zakir’s voice, influential in Baloch society, has been stifled by his prolonged disappearance, leaving a void in advocacy for Baloch rights.
Enforced Disappearances: A Rising Tide of Concern
Seminar participants voiced their concern over the alleged widespread practice of enforced disappearances in Balochistan – acts that are deemed as serious crimes under both international and national law. Over the past two decades, they claimed that thousands of Baloch youths have become victims of enforced disappearances, with many discovered later as mutilated bodies. In addition, they alleged that an untold number of youths are currently enduring torture in secret detention facilities. They further stated that these horrifying acts have escalated recently, with more innocent students and youngsters disappearing without any trace or a stated crime.
Beyond the Disappeared: The Far-Reaching Impact on Families
The speakers articulated the ripple effect of enforced disappearances, explaining it extends beyond the individuals who are forcibly disappeared. These incidents reportedly send shockwaves through entire families, with the loss leading to collective emotional trauma and financial distress. The seminar pointed to the suffering of hundreds of mothers, yearning for the return of their sons, and families grappling with the abrupt loss of their sole breadwinners.
A United Call for Action
The seminar concluded with a unified call to end the inhuman and illegal practice of enforced disappearances. The participants demanded the immediate release of all Baloch missing persons, including Zakir Majeed. Notable speakers, such as Zakir Majeed’s mother, Advocates Imran Baloch and Shah Zeb, Professor Lala Munir, Saira (the sister of missing Asif), and other relatives of missing persons, lent their voices to this urgent plea.