The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) marked a significant milestone today(Saturday) as it completed 5,000 days of continuous protest for the thousands of forcibly disappeared individuals in Balochistan. The organization, led by Chairman Nasrullah Baloch and Vice Chairman Mama Qadeer Baloch, has maintained a protest camp where family members and supporters gather to demand justice and the safe return of their loved ones.
The Baloch Students Organization (BSO) Pajjar’s Chairman, Zubair Baloch, visited the camp with his cabinet members, demonstrating solidarity with the cause.
Mama Qadeer Baloch, VBMP’s vice chairman, highlighted the peaceful nature of their struggle, which has persisted despite facing considerable adversity and threats from Pakistani intelligence agencies.
He acknowledged the significance of this day, as the peaceful struggle for the safe return of forcibly disappeared individuals and the hundreds of Baloch victims of extrajudicial killings has persisted for 5,000 days.
Instead of recounting the hardships faced during these days, Mama Qadeer Baloch chose to focus on the sacrifices made by young Baloch activists and the inhumane treatment of detained Baloch individuals in secret torture cells. He stressed that the Baloch nation’s sacrifices in their struggle against a formidable enemy are beyond compare to the challenges faced by the VBMP campaign.
He expressed gratitude to Baloch political parties, student organizations, women’s groups, human rights organizations, and the general public for their unwavering support throughout the 5,000-day campaign.
He added that the VBMP was established to raise awareness about the forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of political activists, students, workers, lawyers, doctors, teachers, intellectuals, and journalists in Balochistan. VBMP sought to inform the media, human rights organizations, the United Nations, and other international institutions about these atrocities. Embracing a democratic and political approach, the VBMP initiated its campaign by setting up a hunger strike camp in Quetta and compiling a comprehensive list of missing persons to share with the United Nations, human rights organizations, and the media.
The international community has been apprised of VBMP’s efforts, and information about forcibly disappeared and mutilated bodies of Baloch individuals has reached the United Nations Human Rights Council, European Union, United States, Canada, Middle Eastern countries, and other nations. In response, the United Nations Human Rights Council dispatched a working group to Pakistan to investigate the situation.
Zubair Baloch, chairman of BSO, criticized the government and state institutions for neglecting this critical issue. Despite the 5,000-day-long protest outside the Quetta Press Club, authorities have not taken appropriate action. Zubair Baloch also raised concerns over recent arrests involving women and children on baseless allegations, urging the Baloch nation to stand up against such injustices.