Baloch Students Council sounds alarm over surge in enforced disappearances of youths

Islamabad [Pakistan], October 21 (ANI): The Baloch Students Council (BSC) has expressed strong condemnation over the rising number of enforced disappearances involving Baloch students, calling it a grave violation of human rights.
According to the Council, 10 students were abducted on October 16 and 17 - nine from Karachi and one from Khuzdar, in what it claims is part of a deliberate campaign by the Pakistani state to suppress Baloch youth, an official report by the Council stated.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the BSC stated, "The escalating crisis of Enforced Disappearances of Baloch Students is a grave human rights issue that demands immediate political attention. #EndEnforcedDisappearances"

The escalating crisis of Enforced Disappearances of Baloch Students is a grave human rights issue that demands immediate political attention.

#EndEnforcedDisappearances pic.twitter.com/b4edduXeN1

— Baloch Students Council (Islamabad) (@BSCIslamabad) October 19, 2024

In a statement, the BSC highlighted the growing atmosphere of fear within educational institutions, where Baloch students are subjected to harassment and surveillance. The Council pointed to ongoing cases like those of Feroz Baloch and Ahmed Khan, who have been missing for over two years, and whose families are still seeking justice.
"These disappearances are a clear attempt to undermine Baloch students' right to education and free expression," said the Council.
The BSC also reported that the disappearances extend beyond students to ordinary Baloch citizens, pointing to a broader pattern of repression aimed at quelling dissent. A total of 82 abductions have been reported this month alone, with recent cases occurring in Nushki and Dera Bugti.
The Council criticised state authorities for their continued inaction despite peaceful protests demanding the release of those abducted.
Holding the Pakistani state and its intelligence agencies accountable, the BSC urged the international community and human rights organisations to intervene, emphasising that enforced disappearances are a violation of international law.
"We call for immediate action and accountability from Pakistan," the Council stated, noting that these acts further marginalise the already oppressed Baloch community.
The Baloch people, who primarily reside in Pakistan's Balochistan region, have long faced human rights abuses, particularly in the form of enforced disappearances.
Individuals, including political activists, journalists, and citizens, are frequently abducted by state security forces or paramilitary groups, with families left in anguish, often without any information regarding their loved one's fate.
This systematic targeting of the Baloch community has created a climate of fear, silencing dissent and calls for autonomy and human rights in the region. (ANI)