BLOCHISTAN: Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) shared the details on Thursday of nine individuals who became victims of enforced disappearances in recent times at the hands of the Pakistani forces. The BYC said that the actual number of forcible abductions that took place in January would be much higher since several cases remain concealed due to internet blockades in remote areas of Balochistan and the climate of fear among victims’ families.
The BYC noted that the Pakistani forces are “forcibly disappearing dozens of innocent Baloch youth on a daily basis”.
It brought to attention that that the Baloch people are living under extreme terror and complete lawlessness, where mutilated bodies are frequently discovered, and targeted killings are at their peak.
Sharing the details of the reported cases of enforced disappearances over the last few days, it was noted that families of several of the disappeared individuals were holding a sit-ins demanding the immediate release of their family members.
BYC noted that Shakeel Baloch, a resident of Sharak, Turbat, was forcibly disappeared in January. He is one of the many people who were forcibly disappeared. “Shakeel belongs to an extremely low-income family, and his elderly mother staged a sit-in on the CPEC road, demanding his safe recovery. Shakeel was the sole breadwinner for his family and worked as a labourer”, BYC noted in its post.
BYC lamented that despite assurances from the district administration that Noman, another forcibly disappeared individual, would be released, the administration’s promises remain unfulfilled, and the family has announced another protest on January 17.
“These reported cases of enforced disappearances are only a fraction of the actual numbers. Many cases remain concealed due to internet blockades in remote areas of Balochistan and the climate of fear among victims’ families. Despite resistance from civil society, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), and the families of the disappeared, the state continues its colonial and genocidal policy of forced disappearances.”, the post said.
It gave a call to international human rights organizations, the United Nations, and the global community to intervene immediately and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Balochistan.
In the background of the rising cases of human rights violations in Balochistan, the BYC has declared January 25 as “Baloch Genocide Remembrance l Day,” seeking international recognition for what it describes as a “Baloch genocide” under Pakistan’s policies in the region.