Baloch women slam Pakistan at UN over enforced disappearances

Quetta, Aug 25 The Baloch Women Forum (BWF) expressed grave concerns over the increasing enforced disappearances in Balochistan and highlighted their grievances during a virtual interactive session with the United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances.

The forum noted that it has organised different sessions across Balochistan in which affected families participated and raised alarm over the uncertainty surrounding the health, safety, and fundamental human rights of their loved ones, who they claim are “illegally caged” in Pakistani dungeons.

“We want to clarify that we have been clear on our stance against the enforced disappearances across Pakistan and specifically Baloch regions from the very beginning. We believe that every human being is entitled to fundamental human rights which are violated when it comes to the Baloch specifically when it comes to the forced and illegal detentions. The aim of the session was to put forward the families' concerns regarding the enforced disappearances directly to the UN Working Group,” read a statement issued by the BWF.

According to the BWF, during the one-day session, families from various districts of Balochistan directly addressed the UN group, which heard their detailed accounts. At the end of the session, the forum’s Central Organiser, Shalee Baloch, addressed the families and the UN Working Group, highlighting the broader pattern of enforced disappearances, ranging from civilians to the targetting of political workers.

The forum expressed sincere gratitude to the UN Working Group for considering the grievances related to enforced disappearances in Balochistan and for giving their valuable time. The BWF asserted that the families, after knocking every door in Pakistan, are now making their very best to appeal to international bodies to readdress their genuine grievances and to end the enforced disappearances across the province.

People from Balochistan are currently fighting for their independence from Pakistan. Various human rights organisations of Balochistan have time and again highlighted the repression by Pakistani forces in the province, which includes violent raids on the homes of Baloch leaders and civilians, unlawful arrests, enforced disappearances, the 'kill and dump' policy, detention under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, and the filing of fabricated police cases.

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