Quetta, April 23 (IANS) As enforced disappearances of civilians continue unabated across Balochistan, students of Bolan Medical College in the provincial capital, Quetta, continued their protest for the second consecutive day on Thursday outside the college premises, demanding the immediate and safe recovery of a female student forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces.
According to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), Khadija Baloch was abducted on Tuesday by Pakistani security forces from the BMC female hostel in Quetta and shifted to an undisclosed location.
Since her enforced disappearance, it said, no information about her whereabouts or condition has been provided to her family and fellow students.
“It must be remembered that the forcible disappearance of women in Balochistan is increasing with each passing day. It is not far that every household will suffer this fate; anyone, from anywhere, can be picked up, disappear, and later be labelled a terrorist. The state is using all its force to suppress the Baloch people. It is high time for the Baloch nation to stand up and unite against these state atrocities,” the BYC stated.
Expressing concern over the incident, the Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) stated the targeting of Baloch women reflects a dangerous escalation.
“Reports of such cases are rising, creating fear across communities. Families face violence, uncertainty, and silence. This pattern shows a deliberate attempt to intimidate and suppress voices that seek justice and dignity,” the rights body stated.
The BVJ appealed for immediate accountability and the safe recovery of Khadija , stating that continued silence would deepen mistrust and suffering.
It stressed that the people of Balochistan must raise their voices, stand together, and demand an end to enforced disappearances.
Condemning the incident, Naseem Baloch, chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), stated that the enforced disappearance of Khadija exposes the “brutal reality” of Pakistan’s actions against Baloch civilians, including abductions, torture, and collective punishment of an entire people.
“Targeting a young student, a woman striving for education, is not just repression; it is a heinous crime against humanity. It is a genocide going on in Balochistan. And yet, the world remains shamefully silent,” Naseem posted on X.
Asserting that silence in the face of oppression is complicity, the Baloch leader called on the international community to speak out and hold Pakistan accountable.
–IANS
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