The wave of enforced disappearances in Balochistan continues, with two new cases reported this week alongside growing protests and awareness campaigns by families demanding the recovery of their missing loved ones.
According to reports, a man identified as Noor Jahan, son of Lako, was allegedly detained by Pakistani forces on 30 September in Mashkay. His family said no information has been provided about his whereabouts since his arrest, causing deep concern among relatives.
In a separate incident, reports from Dasht’s Zarin Bug in Kech district state that a young man named Khuda Dad Baloch was also taken into custody allegedly by Pakistani forces and has since gone missing. Sources said he was detained along with three others who were later released, while Khuda Dad remains unaccounted for. His two brothers were reportedly killed in previous incidents.
Meanwhile, in Hub Chowki, Balochistan’s industrial town, a man named Murad Ali, who had been missing for nearly a year, has reportedly returned home. He was allegedly taken into custody by Pakistani forces on 9 November last year and has now been released.
Protest in Awaran Demanding Release of Sagheer and Iqrar Baloch
In a related development, families of Sagheer Baloch and Iqrar Baloch held a rally in Awaran demanding their immediate recovery. The families gave authorities a 15-day deadline, warning that they would intensify their protests if the two were not released within that period.
During the demonstration, family members claimed that the local Deputy Commissioner and a Member of the Provincial Assembly told them they had no authority in the matter. They also alleged that they received threats from military officials, including a colonel, major, and brigadier, warning them not to protest.
Participants in the rally carried banners and vowed to continue their campaign until both men are released.
One Year On: Campaign for Missing Brothers Junaid and Yasir Hameed
Meanwhile, in Hub, an online awareness campaign marked one year since the alleged enforced disappearance of two brothers, Junaid and Yasir Hameed, who were taken from Hub Chowki and Kalat in October last year.
Their family had staged sit-ins on major highways and protests in Hub, Quetta, and Islamabad, where officials twice promised to secure the brothers’ release. However, both men remain missing.
Taking part in the campaign, Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Sammi Deen Baloch said, “Even after a year, they remain missing. The enforced disappearance of two individuals from the same household has become an unending tragedy for their family, who continue to live in pain and uncertainty.”
Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari called the case a “symbol of Baloch resistance,” referring to their sister Yasmeen Hameed, who led a 70-day protest in Islamabad.
“Only those who have suffered this pain can understand the family’s agony,” Mazari said. “Silence in the face of such injustice is death.”
Yasmeen wrote on social media, “It has been one year since Junaid and Yasir were taken. We will not remain silent. We will not forget. Bring them back.”
Enforced disappearances have been a persistent issue in Balochistan for years, with rights groups and local organisations frequently reporting cases of people allegedly detained by Pakistani forces and later going missing.
Families of the victims have repeatedly called for accountability and information on their loved ones’ whereabouts. Despite widespread protests and a 70-day sit-in by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) in Islamabad, the government has yet to take any substantial action.