Naik Muhammad, a resident of Machh, has raised concerns about the disappearance of his brother, Babul Baloch, who he claims was forcibly taken by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on October 28, 2024. Babul had been working in coal mines for the past five years, and according to his brother, he vanished after leaving for work that day.
Speaking at a press conference in the Quetta Press Club, Naik Muhammad explained that their family lives in Killi Satakzai, where most locals rely on coal mining for their livelihood. Babul was working the evening shift, from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., in the days leading up to his disappearance.
He said that on October 28, as usual, Babul left for the coal mine, but upon arriving, he was informed that the mine was overstaffed, and he was told to return the next day. He marked his attendance for the day and headed back home. Around 4:30 p.m., while returning home near Jamia Masjid Killi Satakzai, CTD officers allegedly intercepted him and forcibly put him in a vehicle. Since then, Babul has been missing.
Naik Muhammad said that the family reported the incident to the nearest police station and filed a request for an FIR. However, their application was rejected, and no FIR has been registered so far. He expressed frustration over this, saying that the authorities have not taken any formal steps to investigate his brother’s disappearance.
He further said that in the following days, pro-government social media accounts began circulating images of Babul with his hands bound, claiming that he was a member of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and had been attending a wedding in Mastung at the time of his “arrest.” Naik Muhammad strongly denied these allegations and insisted that his brother was at work on the day in question.
Naik Muhammad added that Frontier Corps personnel regularly collected identification cards from workers at the mine to mark attendance, and Babul’s attendance had been marked on the mine the day he was forcibly disappeared. He said that the family can prove Babul’s innocence. Despite this, they have not been given the opportunity to present their evidence in court, and Babul has not been formally charged with any crime.
The family is now making a public appeal, calling on the authorities to allow a fair legal process and present Babul in court. “We hope you will become our voice and help us bring our brother home,” Naik Muhammad pleaded to the journalists in the press conference.