A minor boy has allegedly been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in the Reko tehsil of Buleda in Kech district, his family said on Thursday, as Quetta continues to host one of the world’s longest-running protest camps against enforced disappearances despite severe winter conditions.
Minor boy taken in night raid
According to family members, the incident took place on the night of 13 January at around 2:00 a.m., when a large contingent of Pakistani forces cordoned off the area and raided the home of a man named Lal Jan.
They said women and children were harassed during the raid before the boy, Talib, son of Lal Jan, was taken into custody and moved to an undisclosed location.
The family said they initially remained silent on the assurances of local elders who told them the child would be released soon. However, ten days later, they said they still have no information about Talib’s whereabouts or condition.
They also alleged that this was not the first time the boy had faced violence. They said that late last year, while Talib was herding goats, an influential figure who claimed links to state institutions beat him severely without provocation. Due to fear of retaliation and financial hardship, they did not pursue legal action at the time.
The family appealed to authorities to ensure the immediate and safe recovery of the boy and to clarify the reasons for his detention.
Quetta protest continues despite cold and snowfall
Meanwhile, the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) said its protest camp outside the Quetta Press Club had entered its 6,056th day despite freezing temperatures and snowfall.
The group said families of two men, Siraj Ahmed and Shahzaib, joined the camp this week to report that both were detained by personnel of state institutions from Sariab Customs on 29 December and have been missing since.
They said police refused to register a complaint about the disappearances and that senior officials had not provided any information regarding the two men.
VBMP chairman Nasrullah Baloch assured the families that the organization would submit both cases to the commission and the provincial government and raise the matter at all relevant forums.
He demanded the safe recovery of Siraj and Shahzaib, adding that if there were any allegations against them, they should be produced before the public and brought before a court in accordance with the law.