The mother of Zakir Majeed Baloch, a Baloch student leader who was forcibly disappeared 15 years ago, has called for the safe recovery of her son, expressing her anguish over his prolonged disappearance.
Zakir Majeed was reportedly detained by Pakistani security forces on June 8, 2009, and his whereabouts remain unknown. Speaking to the media, his mother shared her grief over the years of uncertainty. “Since that day, I have never seen him again,” she said. “A mother’s greatest wish is to see and hold her son, but each passing day breaks my heart a little more.”
She emphasized that Zakir was a student leader at the time of his disappearance, describing his detention without due process as a violation of human rights. “To make him vanish without a trace and imprison him in torture cells is a gross violation of human rights,” she added. “There is an emptiness inside my heart that never goes away, as if a part of me has been ripped away.”
Over the years, the stress of searching for Zakir has taken a toll on her health, leading to heart disease and other illnesses. Despite her physical frailty, she continues to participate in protests and rallies in Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta. “The weakness of my body is nothing compared to the pain in my heart; I only pray for the return of my son,” she said.
She also highlighted the relentless efforts of Zakir’s sister, Farzana Majeed, who has been at the forefront of the campaign for his release. Farzana has led protests and undertaken long marches from Quetta to Karachi and from Karachi to Islamabad, all in the hope of bringing attention to her brother’s case. “Yet, neither Farzana nor I have found justice,” Zakir’s mother said. “We will continue our struggle until our last breath, but the sight of my son’s empty chair is a daily reminder of how powerless we are.”
She further recounted the hardships her family has faced, revealing that their home in Khuzdar was attacked, looted, and the remaining belongings were set on fire. “This cruelty is meant to silence us, to stop us from raising our voices for Zakir’s release, but we will not be silenced,” she said, vowing to continue her fight for his safe return.
The mother of Zakir Majeed has called on the Baloch nation, oppressed communities, and human rights activists to join their online campaign on October 13, which aims to raise awareness about enforced disappearances in Balochistan. “Raise your voice for Zakir and all those imprisoned in torture cells,” she urged. “This is a mother’s plea, waiting for her son’s return for 15 years, hoping he will come back and embrace her.”