Baloch Rights activist urges UN to take action against enforced disappearances in Balochistan

Baloch rights activist and the media coordinator of the Baloch National Movement, Jamal Baloch, has once again raised the issue of enforced disappearances in Pakistan's Balochistan.

Jamal reported this issue to Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, and demanded severe action from the United Nations to stop such actions.

"Dear @MaryLawlorhrds, Pakistan continues to forcibly disappear youth from #Balochistan. Today, 3 more young men were taken out of a bus by Pakistani military personnel and taken away. This is Uthal Zero Point, a Pakistani outpost. @UN has to do much more to stop this inhumane act," Jamal said in a post on X on Saturday.
Jamal has been a major voice against the incidents of enforced disappearances on platforms across the world.

Previously, while participating in a press conference at the Club Suisse de la Presse in Geneva, Switzerland, the activist highlighted the suffering of the people of Balochistan and the enforced disappearances.

"Balochistan has been suffering from such issues for more than four decades, with no information being available even today about people who disappeared as long ago as 40 years. On average, around three people go missing every day in Balochistan at the hands of Pakistani forces. Very few of them get released from Pakistani custody. And the family members of the forcibly disappeared are threatened not to open their mouths, so even if you want to file a case you are threatened and no case is filed. As police deny registering your case, and then you are threatened that other members of your family can also disappear," he said.

Further, he also said, "Since Balochistan is a conflict region, it is difficult to gather data, but our department has been working for over two years and other institutions have been working longer than us. The number of forcibly disappeared people is around 47,000 in Balochistan. Just in two years, 2019 cases of forcibly disappearing have been reported to us by our sources and our party members," Baloch said.

Another Baloch rights organisation, Baloch Yakjehti Committee, also demanded support for another victim of enforced disappearance, Naeem Rehmat.

Rehmat, a student enrolled in the BS Education programme at the University of Turbat, was in his second semester when he forcibly disappeared on March 17, 2022. It has been over two years, and his whereabouts remain unknown, disrupting his education and causing deep distress to his family.

The same post also mentioned that hundreds of such students have fallen victim to enforced disappearance and the protests that are organised by their families for their safe return are given empty promises.

Further, the BYC post also claimed that the Deputy Commissioner of Turbat assured the family that Naeem would be released within five days. However, the family has declined to end the sit-in (Dharna) and has vowed to continue until his safe release.