Ten years have passed since the enforced disappearance of Zahid Baloch and Asad Baloch. Zahid Baloch, Chairman of Baloch Students Organization Azad, and Asad Baloch, Junior Joint Secretary, were forcibly abducted by the Pakistan Army on March 18, 2014, in front of Banuk Karima Baloch from satellite town Quetta. Despite the passage of a decade, their whereabouts remain unknown.
In response to their disappearance, Baloch Students Organization initiated a hunger strike for Zahid Baloch’s recovery, and Latif Johar observed the protest for forty-six days. This activism prompted Balochistan Chief Minister Dr. Malik to acknowledge the issue, integrating it into political discourse among parliamentary parties. However, despite government assurances, the problem persists without resolution.
Enforced disappearances continue to plague Balochistan, with protests occurring daily. Friends of Baloch student Khudadad Ganj are protesting in Islamabad and Abdul Razzaq’s family members demand his recovery by blocking the Coastal Highway in Pisni. Similarly, in Kech district, roads including the CPEC highway in Hoshop, Tajaban, and Absar have been blocked in protest against enforced disappearances.
The systematic targeting of political leaders and activists through enforced disappearances cannot counter political movements. Failure to address this issue will only perpetuate ongoing protest movements in Balochistan.