Mahrang Baloch, a Baloch activist, has brought attention to the grave condition of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, claiming that people who are freed from captivity are frequently murdered. In the region, where enforced disappearances have been a strategy employed by authorities to quell dissent since the 1970s, this concerning trend is indicative of a larger pattern of state violence and violations of human rights.
Mahrang Baloch stressed in a recent interview that people who are freed after being forcibly disappeared often suffer catastrophic outcomes. She brought up the example of Zakaria Zaheer from Gwadar, who was killed after being freed.
More than 500 Baloch people have reportedly been forcefully disappeared since February 2023 alone, indicating that the situation in Balochistan has gotten worse. The state’s counterinsurgency actions against separatist movements are connected to a large number of these cases.
In Balochistan, forced disappearances have been common for many years, and the government frequently defends them by claiming they are essential for maintaining national security. Human rights groups counter that this strategy is a methodical way to quiet opposition and instill fear.
Regarding these disappearances, the Pakistani government has come under fire for its lack of responsibility. Only a limited percentage of cases have been actively probed by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, notwithstanding its establishment.
Mahrang Baloch and other activists are leading the campaign to increase public awareness of these crimes. To demand justice and draw attention to the predicament of families impacted by enforced disappearances, they have planned demonstrations and utilized social media. Their goal is to raise awareness of the ongoing human rights catastrophe in Balochistan on a worldwide scale.
As families continue to look for answers on their missing loved ones while fearing more brutality from state authorities, the situation is still dire.
