The Baloch Students Council (BSC) Islamabad, an organization of Baloch students studying in various universities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, issued a statement condemning the ongoing forced disappearances, profiling, and harassment of Baloch students, saying the state has crossed “all limits” in its unconstitutional treatment of Baloch youth. The BSC cited recent incidents as evidence of a growing pattern of repression that has left students across Islamabad in fear.
According to the BSC spokesperson, the enforced disappearances of Baloch students continue with alarming regularity. The BSC said that during a hearing in the Islamabad High Court on February 28, 2024, on the recovery of missing students, Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar made an appearance, which was followed by the ‘disappearance’ of Baloch student Imtiaz Alam.
The BSC further said that Kakar had recently visited universities in Islamabad, which was again followed by more cases of Baloch students disappearing. A day earlier, the BSC reported a raid on the Baloch students’ residence in Rawalpindi, where security forces allegedly detained ten students, all of whom attend the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) in Islamabad. Those missing include Saleem Arif, Balach Fida, Khuda Dad, Khalil Ahmed, Khalil Iqbal, Hammal Hasni, Babar Atta, Noor Maheem, Iftikhar Azeem, and Ahsam Akbar. The BSC said that Baloch students have been forcibly disappeared en masse for over a decade now, and they are forced to pursue education in a state of perpetual dread and anxiety.
The spokesperson condemned what they described as an “intentional targeting” of students based on their ethnic identity, arguing that Baloch students face “collective punishment” under state policies that create an atmosphere of fear on campuses. The BSC stressed the urgent need for the Baloch community to recognize these abuses and to unite in opposing this “collective repression.” In their statement, the BSC added that they would soon announce their next steps at a press conference in Islamabad, where they plan to outline a future course of action to seek justice and safety for Baloch students.