Demonstrations against enforced disappearances continue across Balochistan, with sit-ins in Mastung’s Kardgap area ongoing for the past eight days and another protest in Panjgur entering its second day. The Kardgap protest escalated today as demonstrators blocked train services, completely halting railway operations.
A delegation from the district administration, led by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Mastung Manan Tareen, attempted to negotiate with the families of the disappeared individuals. However, the talks failed as the families insisted on the immediate release of all those allegedly abducted by Pakistani security forces and intelligence agencies. They also demanded an end to extrajudicial killings in staged encounters.
The protesters resolved to continue their sit-in until all ten missing individuals were recovered. They also called for high-ranking officials to be brought to the protest site, to which the administration assured compliance.
Meanwhile, in Panjgur, a protest is ongoing at 14 Chowk Saraduk, where residents of Washbod are demanding the release of Aqil Jaleel, who was forcibly disappeared. Hundreds of travelers remain stranded due to the roadblock, with long queues of vehicles forming. Aqil Jaleel’s family, leading the protest, has vowed to continue demonstrating until his safe return.
Speaking to the media, protesters emphasized that their sit-in would persist until Aqil’s recovery. Stranded passengers and bus drivers traveling between Quetta and Karachi expressed distress over the road closure, particularly during Ramadan, and urged the district administration to engage with the demonstrators.
The Kardgap sit-in has now entered its ninth day. Today, Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other central figures joined the protest. Addressing the gathering, they stressed that enforced disappearances threaten the survival of the Baloch people, and the entire community must unite against this oppression. They asserted that the state cannot silence the Baloch through such tactics, as the mothers and sisters of the disappeared stand resolute against this repression.
Protesters also pointed out that the Quetta-Taftan route has been blocked for the past nine days. They condemned the authorities for offering only false assurances and failing to take concrete action. In response to this neglect, they announced plans to intensify their protest in the coming days.