A large protest rally took place in Quetta on Saturday, organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), calling for an end to enforced disappearances and the immediate recovery of the Baloch missing persons. Led by Dr. Mahrang Baloch and the families of the disappeared, the rally began at University Chowk on Sariab Road and culminated at Abdul Sattar Edhi Chowk after passing through several streets.
Protesters carried banners, placards, and photos of their missing loved ones, chanting slogans demanding their safe return. A significant number of citizens and relatives of the disappeared joined the rally. This protest is part of the BYC’s ongoing campaign, “Breaking the Silence: Standing Against Enforced Disappearances,” which has sparked demonstrations across Balochistan, including Karachi, Hub Chowki, Khuzdar, Turbat, Panjgur, and Kharan.
In their speeches, BYC organizers Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Ghulam Nabi Mari emphasized that their peaceful protests aim to secure the release of their missing loved ones and remove those responsible for the disappearances from Balochistan. “Our protests have faced constant suppression, but we emerge stronger and more organized each time. Today’s rally sends a clear message to those forces involved in enforced disappearances — we will not be silenced,” Dr. Baloch stated.
The speakers argued that protests like this give birth to the likes of Zakir Majeed who are not afraid of raising voices against injustices, and expressed hope that others will follow. “This gathering and our protests will create brave individuals who, even from prison, will continue to raise slogans for Baloch rights. Those who refuse to compromise their conscience are held in the highest respect among us,” they added.
While Quetta’s streets echoed with demands for justice, the crisis of enforced disappearances continued to escalate in other parts of Balochistan. In a disturbing development, two more individuals were reportedly taken away in Nasirabad by the Pakistani security forces. Local sources informed The Balochistan Post that security personnel allegedly abducted Oshak, son of Maksi Domki, and Ikhtiar, son of Hamza Domki, from Nasirabad’s Nautaal area on Friday around 5 p.m.
This incident adds to the growing list of enforced disappearances, which have particularly affected students and young people across Balochistan. Despite increasing reports of such incidents, the authorities have yet to offer any official response. The BYC has called for Balochistan-wide protests to raise awareness about the rising number of missing persons, and demonstrations have been met with resistance in several cities, including Karachi, Hub, and Panjgur, where authorities attempted to block protests by suspending mobile networks.
The speakers in Quetta reiterated their commitment to continuing peaceful protests and highlighted those previous protests had led to the recovery of a few missing individuals. They called on families of the disappeared to submit information to the BYC, which has vowed to work relentlessly for the safe recovery of all missing persons.