Karachi [Pakistan], October 22 : Eight students from Balochistan have reportedly gone missing from their shared residence in Gulistan-i-Jauhar in Pakistan's biggest city Karachi, according to a report by Dawn. Family members allege that law enforcement agencies "took away" the students, but police have declined to comment on these allegations.
According to reports, the missing students--Shoaib Ali, Haneef, Ishfaq , Shahzad, Bebarg Ameer, Zubair, Qambar Ali, and Saeedullah disappeared on October 16. Three of them are enrolled at Karachi University, three attend a seminary, one is an intermediate student, and another studies at Urdu University. Families maintain that the students were picked up by law enforcement from their residence in Rustam Zikri Goth.
Talking to Dawn, Wazir Ahmed, the elder brother of missing student Qambar Ali, stated, "Qambar is an intermediate student in Mashkey, Awaran, but he was taking coaching classes at a tuition academy near Nipa." He, along with the families of other missing students, approached the police on October 17, but the SHO refused to file their report. Ahmed emphasised that they have no political affiliations or involvement in any suspicious activities, demanding the immediate release of the students.
In response to the situation, Riaz Ahmed, a member of the Karachi University syndicate, condemned the disappearances, stating, "It is horrifying that students are apprehended and made to disappear without charges. Young students should not be subjected to the harsh realities of state actions."
The issue of enforced appearances is a significant human rights concern that reflects the broader challenges facing the region. In Balochistan, enforced disappearances have been reported extensively, with individuals, often activists, political leaders, and students, going missing under mysterious circumstances, frequently attributed to state security forces or non-state actors.
These disappearances create a climate of fear and insecurity, impacting the social fabric of communities. Families of the disappeared face immense challenges, including emotional distress and a lack of access to justice. The government has been criticized for its insufficient response to these cases, with many families left without answers about the fate of their loved ones.