A schoolteacher from Gwadar, Rukhsana Dost, claims she has been subjected to harassment for raising her voice against enforced disappearances in Balochistan and demanding the recovery of her missing brother.
Rukhsana, who had been employed at The Oasis School in Gwadar, stated that she received a message from the school administration informing her of her dismissal. According to her, the decision was made due to her continued participation in protests calling for the release of her brother, Azeem Dost, who was allegedly subjected to enforced disappearance in 2015.
Prior to her dismissal, Rukhsana was reportedly summoned to a local police station in Gwadar, where she claims she was detained for five hours without formal charges. During this time, she says she was questioned about her involvement in protest rallies and faced intimidation.
Azeem Dost, Rukhsana’s brother, was allegedly taken into custody by Pakistani security forces on 3 July 2015 in Gwadar. His whereabouts have remained unknown since. Rukhsana has been actively involved in protests and sit-ins across Gwadar and other cities, advocating for his recovery.
“I was mentally prepared for this,” Rukhsana said regarding her termination from the school. “The administration had been under pressure, and today they officially informed me that I was no longer employed.”
Despite these developments, she has vowed to continue her campaign: “I will keep raising my voice for my brother’s recovery.”
In recent weeks, authorities in Gwadar have reportedly imposed informal restrictions on public gatherings, protests, and demonstrations. Family members of missing persons and political activists have alleged increasing police harassment in connection with their participation in advocacy activities.
Last week, members of the Baloch Women’s Forum, including activist Shalee Baloch, were detained during an event in Gwadar. They were later transferred to a police station in Turbat and subsequently released.
Several political and civil society organisations in Balochistan have condemned these incidents. The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, has also expressed deep concern over the reported harassment and detention of women activists in Gwadar.