Quetta [Pakistan], November 2 : The Baloch Student Action Committee held a protest in Quetta on Friday, demanding the release of Suhail Baloch and Faseeh Baloch, two students who have been forcibly disappeared for three years.
Two students of Balochistan University, Sohail and Faseeh Baloch, who have been missing for the past three years, were forcibly disappeared from Jamia Balochistan Quetta on the night of November 1 and 2, 2021..
The protest began at the university and proceeded to the Quetta Press Club, where a large number of participants joined to voice their concerns over the ongoing issue of enforced disappearances. The student committee condemned the abduction of not only students but also farmers and teachers, emphasising that victims are taken directly from their homes and educational institutions.
Protesters labelled Balochistan as a "gumshuda-istan," translating to "land of the disappeared," reflecting the alarming increase in enforced disappearance cases in the region.
Suhail and Faseeh Baloch were abducted from their university hostel three years ago and have not been seen since, reported the Balochistan Post.
According to reports, more than 70 cases of enforced disappearances have been documented in October alone, with a significant number of victims being students. The protesters called on international human rights organisations and the global community to support the victims and raise awareness about the ongoing violations in Balochistan.
Additionally, recent reports indicate that ten students from the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) were also forcibly disappeared by the Pakistan armed forces during a raid at their residence in Rawalpindi.
The Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department has identified the missing students as Salim Arif, Balach Fida, Khuda Dad, Khalil Ahmed, Hammal Hassani, Babar Atta, Noor Muheem, Iftikhar Azum, and Ahssam.
These incidents underscore the systemic oppression and discrimination faced by Baloch students in educational institutions, creating an atmosphere of fear in the region, the Balochistan Post reported.
The Baloch community continues to face severe human rights violations at the hands of Pakistani forces, prompting urgent calls for action and intervention.