Nawaz Baloch
The heart-wrenching journey of Sahira Baloch, a sister whose heart ached for her missing brothers, Asif Baloch and Rasheed Baloch, transcended the miles from her humble home in Khuzdar to the bustling, yet impersonal, cityscape of Islamabad. With a quiet determination fueled by love and desperation, Sahira embarked on a solemn mission that would resonate with anyone who heard her story — a 72-hour hunger strike, a fervent plea for the safe release of her beloved brothers who had vanished without a trace.
As Sahira Baloch stood before the assemblage of microphones and cameras at the press club in Islamabad, her eyes reflected a mixture of vulnerability and resilience. Her trembling voice carried a weight that transcended mere words, as she recounted the pain of separation and the fervent hope that her brothers, like countless others, would find their way back home. I couldn’t help but be moved by the stark reality of state-sanctioned cruelty, a harsh truth that Sahira’s presence highlighted.
In that moment, the surroundings of the press club seemed to echo with the silent cries of countless missing persons, faces lost in the labyrinth of an unfeeling bureaucracy. The anguish of families torn apart by uncertainty and fear was palpable, as if the air itself had absorbed their sorrow. The story of Sahira Baloch became a microcosm of a larger tragedy, a poignant reminder that behind each missing person was a life irrevocably disrupted, a family forever altered.
And then, there are those like Sammi Deen, whose name reverberates with a relentless determination to unearth the truth. For over a decade, she has treaded the pavement of cities like Karachi, Quetta, and Islamabad, her voice resounding against the backdrop of towering buildings and busy intersections. Her mission is singular: the safe return of her father, a missing soul whose absence is a void that cannot be filled.
In a heart-wrenching moment shared in a fleeting Twitter space, Sammi Deen offered a glimpse into the daily agony her mother grapples with. Every morsel of food her mother eats carries the unspoken question of whether her missing son, Dr. Deen Mohammad, has eaten at all. Each blanket her mother lays out holds within its folds a silent plea, a yearning to know if her missing son rests in the comfort of slumber or if his nights are tormented by the cold walls of a cell. The emotional tsunami that surged within me was overwhelming — a surge of empathy for the families forever suspended in the purgatory of uncertainty.
To all who will listen, I implore you: let us be more than bystanders to these tragedies. Let the voices of those who are missing and the families left behind reverberate within our hearts. Let the echoes of their suffering become a rallying cry for justice, an anthem that traverses cities, communities, and generations. Baloch youth, let us stand united against the tide of forced abductions, a force that threatens to tear at the very fabric of our society. Let our collective voice be a testament to our shared humanity, a beacon of hope in the face of adversity, and a force that can compel change, no matter the odds.
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.