Pak journalist expresses concern over rising enforced disappearances, criticizes media silence
According to the post, five individuals were arrested by security forces and taken to an unknown location. Since their detention, they have been missing, raising serious concerns.
ANI
Feb 17, 2025 18:27 IST
Islamabad [Pakistan], February 17 (ANI): Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir expressed his deep concern about the rising cases of enforced disappearances in the country on Monday. His response came after a post from the official account of Voice of Baloch Missing Persons, which highlighted a troubling incident in Gwadar's tehsil Pasni.
According to the post, five individuals were arrested by security forces and taken to an unknown location. Since their detention, they have been missing, raising serious concerns.
The original post stated: "In the district of Gwadar's tehsil Pasni, the forces have arrested four brothers-Wahid Majid, Hafeez Majid, Waseem Majid, and Nadeem Majid--along with a young man named Asim, and taken them to an unknown location. Since then, they have been missing, which is a matter of concern. We condemn this action and demand the immediate recovery of all four brothers along with Asim."
In response on platform X, Hamid Mir remarked, "The detained youth will not be presented in any court, and their disappearance will not be questioned on any TV channel because the issue of missing persons neither attracts ratings nor encouragement from the channel management. Everyone knows who is behind their disappearance. When the constitution itself is missing, who can protect citizens from disappearing?"
This exchange underscores the growing issue of enforced disappearances in Pakistan, where individuals are detained without legal proceedings, leaving their families in a state of uncertainty and distress.
Enforced disappearances in Balochistan have been a persistent and alarming issue, with many individuals, particularly activists, journalists, and political leaders, vanishing without a trace. These disappearances are often attributed to state agencies, with accusations that they target those speaking out against the government's policies or advocating for Baloch rights.
Victims are typically detained in secret, subjected to torture, and sometimes found dead or left without any formal charges. The lack of accountability, impunity for perpetrators, and the climate of fear have deepened the sense of injustice and further marginalised the Baloch community, contributing to ongoing unrest and human rights violations. (ANI)
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