Balochistan- Increasing Cases of Enforced Disappearances, Escalates Protests Globally

In recent times, several districts in Balochistan have witnessed a concerning surge in reported cases of enforced disappearances and military operations, which has heightened serious concerns regarding the human rights situation in the region. This alarming escalation appears to be part of an ongoing and distressing trend, provoking widespread protests and calls for investigations and intervention both at home and on the international stage.

In Dera Bugti, Pakistani forces have reportedly detained and subsequently disappeared five individuals during an ongoing military operation, among them two employees of the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL). These individuals, belonging to the Chandarzai sub-tribe of the Bugti tribe and residents of the ZainKoh area, have become victims of this troubling situation.

Similarly, in the Harnai district, an individual named Sobdhar, known to be a landowner, was allegedly taken into custody and subsequently disappeared by Pakistani forces and members of secret agencies while shopping in the market.

Furthermore, in the Awaran district, Rasool Bakhsh was reportedly taken into custody by Pakistani forces while working in his fields. His family had previously been displaced during a 2015 operation conducted by Pakistani forces, during which several civilians were allegedly killed, and dozens went missing.

Moreover, in the coastal city of Gwadar, there have been reports of the disappearance of an individual named Kamalan, who was allegedly taken into custody by Pakistani forces on September 1st and has not been seen in public since.

These recent incidents have ignited a series of protests both within Pakistan and internationally. In London, the Baloch Republican Party (BRP) organized a protest outside the British Parliament, vehemently condemning the ongoing military operations and enforced disappearances in various regions of Balochistan, with particular emphasis on the alarming developments in Dera Bugti.

During the protest, a spokesperson for the BRP alleged that the Pakistani military had forcibly disappeared twenty-five people in recent days and accused them of large-scale looting and forced displacements in the region. BRP leaders have urgently called upon international human rights organizations and the British government to closely monitor the escalating situation in Balochistan.

Simultaneously, the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) has been staging a continuous protest outside the Quetta Press Club, which recently marked its 5173rd day. The organization is demanding action against the alleged enforced disappearances and killings in Balochistan. The Vice Chairman of VBMP, Mama Qadeer Baloch, has underscored the gravity of the issue, claiming that over 65,000 Baloch individuals have disappeared, with 20,000 of them found dead, often bearing signs of mutilation.

In light of these deeply concerning developments, activists and concerned parties are urgently appealing to the international community and human rights organizations to closely scrutinize the unfolding situation in Balochistan. They call for an impartial investigation into the alleged enforced disappearances and a comprehensive assessment of the broader human rights conditions in the region, urging appropriate interventions based on the findings of these evaluations.