Several hundred people protested in December 2023 in front of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, calling for justice for their loved ones who had been kidnapped and taken from Balochistan, a province in the country’s west. Leading the demonstration were other ladies holding pictures of their husbands, kids, brothers, and dads who had gone missing.
Balochistan has been the scene of a long-running nationalist insurgency as separatist militants seek a free Balochistan from Pakistan. The protesters accuse the Pakistani security forces of abducting, torturing, and killing thousands of Baloch activists, journalists, lawyers, and students over the past two decades as part of a brutal counterinsurgency campaign.
Protesters hold photos of their missing relatives during a protest against so-called enforced disappearances
The issue of enforced disappearances has been a source of international criticism and domestic outrage in Pakistan. The UN defines enforced disappearances as “the arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the state”.
According to the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, a non-profit organisation representing the families of the disappeared, there have been about 7,000 cases of enforced disappearances in Balochistan since 2004. However, the government’s Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances records only 2,752 active points as of January 2024.
The discrepancy in the numbers reflects the lack of transparency and accountability in investigating and resolving the cases of missing persons. The families of the disappeared often face harassment, intimidation, and threats from the authorities when they try to file complaints or seek information.
Many of them have lost hope of ever finding out the fate of their loved ones or getting any form of justice or compensation.
The march in Islamabad aimed to draw attention to the plight of the Baloch people and pressure the government to take action. The marchers demanded the release of all the missing persons, or at least their production in courts. They also called for an end to the military operations in Balochistan and the recognition of the Baloch people’s right to self-determination.
The march, however, was met with resistance and repression from the state. The police arrested at least 200 protesters and used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. The government also imposed a media blackout on the coverage of the march and accused the protesters of being anti-state elements and foreign agents.
Despite facing challenges, the protesters have resolved to persist until their objectives are achieved. They have pledged never to abandon their loved ones and will not allow their voices to be muted. Additionally, they have called upon the international community and human rights organisations to intervene and extend their support towards their cause.
The march in Islamabad was not the first, nor the last, of its kind. The Baloch people have marched across different cities and regions for years to highlight their grievances and aspirations. Their march is not only for the thousands who disappeared but also for the millions who suffer from poverty, oppression, and marginalisation in Balochistan. Their march is a march for dignity, freedom, and justice.
