Baloch youth allegedly 'forcefully disappeared' for second time by Pakistani forces
Baloch youth Brahmdagh (Photo- X/@paank_bnm)
KECH: An eighteen-year-old Baloch youth has been reportedly 'forcibly disappeared' for the second time from the Kech district of Balochistan on Friday, The Balochistan Post reported.
The Pakistani forces have been alleged to have forcibly detained the youth after his arrest in the Daazin area of Kech district. The individual has been identified as Brahmdagh (18).
Pakistani forces carried out a raid on their home on Friday, during which they allegedly assaulted the occupants, confiscated mobile phones, and forcibly took Brahmdagh with them, The Balochistan Post reported.
Notably, Brahmdagh was previously detained by the security forces on October 14, 2023. He was released after four months of detention on February 6, 2024, according to The Balochistan Post report. The family has expressed worry over Brahmdagh's repeated disappearances and called for his safe return.
Expressing solidarity over the matter and calling it a gross violation of human rights PAANK the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) in a post on X stated, "Brahamdagh Nawaz, a minor student, has been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces for the second time last night."
"Previously abducted on October 14, 2023, he endured 4 months of brutal torture before being released on February 6, 2024. We call for his immediate release and an end to enforced disappearances in #Balochistan. This cycle of abductions and torture is a gross violation of human rights and international law," it added.
On June 13, human rights activist Mahrang Baloch of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) highlighted the failure of all commissions and committees formed by the Pakistan government to look into the cases of missing persons and enforced disappearances and called such efforts 'eyewash', Pakistan-based Dawn reported.
While addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, Mahrang Baloch noted that there is a huge difference in the number of missing persons given by the government and what they are reporting and termed it a complete collapse of law and order.
In response to a question during the press conference, Baloch said, "They are all eyewash. There is a huge difference in the numbers of missing persons given by the government and what we are reporting. There is a complete collapse of law and order when it comes to missing persons and enforced disappearances here."
Mahrang Baloch said that the Baloch community has been living in a dire state for a long time and added that things have been getting from bad to worse for the people. The press conference was called to highlight the struggles of the Baloch community, according to Dawn report.
She said, "Things have been getting from bad to worse for the Baloch community. Last year, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee started a big campaign, where we marched from Turbat to Islamabad. In Islamabad we organised an extended sit-in and returning from there we also held a huge rally in Quetta."
She stated that BYC, since its formation, has been working for the human rights and interests of the Baloch and stressed that they have remained peaceful throughout, according to Dawn report.
Mahrang Baloch said, "From the time of its formation, the BYC has been working for human rights and the interest of the Baloch. We have been peaceful throughout. We never behaved otherwise during our long march or our rallies. Then why are we being threatened and harassed? Our people are continuously being arrested under fake cases. We constantly face harsh treatment and torture at the hands of government agencies."
