Baloch Women Forum condemns abduction of student Mahjabeen Baloch, urges global action against rights violations

Balochistan [Pakistan] May 30 : The Baloch Women Forum (BWF) has vehemently denounced the reported enforced disappearance of Mahjabeen Baloch, a 24-year-old student from Basima, who was allegedly taken by security forces from Civil Hospital Quetta on Wednesday, as per a report by The Balochistan Post (TBP).

According to the BWF, Mahjabeen, who studies Library Science at the University of Balochistan, was abducted around 3 a.m. by personnel from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and Military Intelligence (MI), as stated by TBP.

The forum characterised the event as part of a concerning pattern where Baloch women are increasingly being targeted by state entities. "Baloch women, like their male counterparts, face constant danger from state agencies," the BWF expressed in an official statement. "The forced disappearance of Mahjabeen Baloch signifies a worrisome escalation in the ongoing human rights abuses in Balochistan," the BWF stated, as reported by TBP.

Enforced disappearances have long been a problem in the region, with men, children, and elderly individuals frequently reported as missing under similar conditions. However, the forum pointed out that the targeting of women in these actions represents a deeply troubling advancement that goes against national cultural customs and traditions, the TBP report emphasised.

"This is not just an infringement on individual rights but also a direct insult to the honour and dignity of the Baloch community," the BWF continued, calling on the state to desist from what it termed the "excessive use of force," as cited by TBP.

The forum brought attention to earlier occurrences where activists, particularly those affiliated with the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), were reportedly detained without due process and subsequently presented in police custody under preventive detention laws such as the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), as stated in the TBP report.

Appealing for national and international awareness, the BWF demanded the immediate and safe release of Mahjabeen Baloch and accountability for those to blame for her disappearance. "We call on the international community to shed light on the ongoing human rights violations in Balochistan," the statement declared. "We urge the public to oppose this escalating brutality and ensure that state institutions are held accountable," as quoted by the TBP report.

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