Baloch poetess and writer Maryam Mehboob Baloch has released her latest poetry collection, Thirteen Years Without You, a deeply personal work exploring themes of loss, grief, and healing after the death of her father.
Maryam, 23, described the book as “a heartfelt journey through memories, loss, and healing.” She said it is dedicated to her father and to all who have experienced the pain of absence.
The young writer, currently studying Computer Science in Karachi, began her literary journey at 19 when she published her first booklet, Lesser-Known Ways for a Positive Life. She said her latest work connects with readers through its simple yet poignant language.
The book’s release comes more than a decade after her father, Mehboob Wadhela Baloch, was forcibly taken in 2010 and later found dead.
Mehboob Wadhela, a political activist with the Baloch National Movement (BNM), was reportedly detained by Pakistani intelligence agencies on April 2, 2010, while traveling from Karachi to Gwadar. For nearly a year, his family endured uncertainty about his fate.
On February 23, 2011, his body was discovered alongside that of fellow activist Abdul Rahman Arif near Hadh Cross in Ormara, Gwadar District. Both men had reportedly been subjected to severe torture during their captivity.
Maryam said the book serves as a tribute to her father’s memory and as a means of finding strength and purpose in his absence. “When I lost my father, it felt like the ground beneath me had shifted,” she said. “This book is my journey—a reflection on absence, the passage of time, and healing.”