Families of missing persons held a protest in Hub Chowki, Balochistan, to mark six years since the enforced disappearance of Rashid Hussain, a Baloch activist. Rashid, who was abducted in 2018 from the United Arab Emirates, remains missing. The protesters demanded his immediate release and justice for other victims of enforced disappearances in the region.
Rashid Hussain had been living in exile in the UAE since 2017 before he was reportedly abducted and held for six months in the Gulf state. According to his family, he was subsequently handed over to Pakistan without any legal process or documentation. Since then, he has been unaccounted for, and efforts to locate him through courts and commissions have yielded no results.
Rashid’s mother, speaking at the protest, highlighted her six-year struggle for her son’s release. “I have knocked on the doors of every court and commission, but no one has answered my pleas. My son was abducted illegally, and the justice system has failed me. If he has committed a crime, present him in court, but keeping him missing for six years is unacceptable.” She appealed to international human rights organizations to intervene, calling her son’s disappearance a grave violation of human rights.
The protest saw participation from other families of missing persons, civil society members, and political leaders. The father of missing Aslam Baloch echoed similar sentiments, lamenting years of false promises and inaction. “We will not rest until our loved ones are returned to us,” he said.
Speakers at the protest, including former BSO Pijjar Chairman Wahid Raheem and Imran Baloch, strongly criticized the ongoing enforced disappearances in Balochistan. They condemned the silence of state institutions and alleged efforts to suppress protests through intimidation. “Enforced disappearances have become commonplace in Balochistan,” they said. “This practice is inhumane and violates the constitution and the law. Rashid Hussain and all missing persons must be released immediately, and those responsible must be held accountable.”
Rashid’s sister, Fareeda Baloch, also addressed the gathering, sharing the family’s enduring pain and relentless advocacy. “Six years have passed since my brother was abducted in the UAE and handed over to Pakistan without any legal proceedings. Despite our efforts at national and international levels, including appeals to the UN, Amnesty International, and other rights groups, we have received no answers from the authorities.”
Fareeda criticized Pakistan’s judicial and legal systems for failing her family and thousands of others in Balochistan. “We filed petitions in the Sindh High Court, Balochistan High Court, and Islamabad High Court, but these institutions disappointed us. The system protects the powerful while punishing those who seek justice.”
She emphasized that the issue is not just about her brother. “Thousands of families in Balochistan are enduring the same agony. This is not just a personal fight — it is a struggle for all missing persons in the region. Enforced disappearances are an international crime, and we appeal to the global community to pressure Pakistan to release Rashid and all others.”
The protest concluded with demands for the immediate recovery of all missing persons and accountability for those involved in their disappearances. The participants urged international organizations to address the crisis, stressing that the silence surrounding these human rights violations must end.