A protest was held outside the Quetta Press Club on Saturday to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, with participants calling for the recovery of missing persons and an end to enforced disappearances and alleged extrajudicial killings in Balochistan.
The demonstration was organised by the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) and attended by families of missing persons, political activists and members of civil society.
Speakers at the protest included VBMP Chairman Nasrullah Baloch, relatives of several missing persons, including Jehanzeb Mohammad Hasni, Sudees Langove, Beberg Qambrani, Mahmood Ali Langove, Naimatullah Baloch, Mohammad Riaz Satakzai, Ali Asghar and Mitha Khan Marri, as well as Communist Party leader Karim Parhad.
Addressing the gathering, speakers said the purpose of the protest was to highlight the difficulties faced by families of missing persons and to draw the attention of authorities and institutions responsible for delivering justice to what they described as an ongoing humanitarian issue.
Nasrullah Baloch said the VBMP had been campaigning for the recovery of missing persons and an end to enforced disappearances and alleged extrajudicial killings for the past 17 years through what he described as peaceful and democratic means. He said the organisation had repeatedly presented its concerns to successive governments and relevant institutions.
According to Nasrullah Baloch, authorities had on multiple occasions assured the organisation that measures would be taken to address the issue, but he claimed that such commitments had not been effectively implemented.
He further alleged that cases of enforced disappearance continued to be reported across Balochistan and claimed that some missing persons had later been found dead. He also expressed concern over reports involving women and children.
Referring to legislation introduced in 2025 regarding enforced disappearances, Nasrullah Baloch said the government had announced that detainees would be produced before a magistrate within 24 hours of arrest and held in designated detention facilities. He argued that, according to families and rights groups, many reported cases did not reflect those provisions.
Participants called on the government to halt enforced disappearances, ensure the recovery of all missing persons, including missing Baloch women, prevent alleged extrajudicial killings, and bring detainees before courts in accordance with the law. They also demanded that families be informed about the whereabouts of detained relatives and that all detainees be granted access to legal proceedings.
Separately, the Makran High Court Bar Association issued a statement marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, calling for the recovery of all missing persons in Pakistan.
The association described enforced disappearance as a serious human rights and legal issue and said every family has the right to know the fate and whereabouts of missing relatives. It urged authorities to ensure transparent and impartial investigations into disappearance cases and to handle all such cases in accordance with the Constitution and the law.
The association further stated that if individuals are accused of criminal offences, they should be presented before courts and tried through due legal process. It argued that addressing the issue of missing persons and upholding constitutional protections were essential for lasting peace and justice in Balochistan.
The issue of enforced disappearances remains a longstanding and disputed matter in Balochistan. Human rights organisations, families of missing persons and advocacy groups continue to raise concerns over unresolved cases, while Pakistani authorities have repeatedly denied involvement in unlawful detentions.