Balochistan [Pakistan], November 21 : Schoolchildren protested at Balochistan Assembly Chowk, calling for the safe return of Muhammad Musawir, a young boy who was abducted lasty week from the Multani Mohalla area, as per Express Tribune.
The children, carrying placards and banners, urged authorities on Wednesday evening to speed up the search for the missing boy, Express Tribune reported.
"How can we concentrate on our studies in such an unsafe environment?" Abdullah, a seventh-grade student asked. Parents expressed increasing concerns about the safety of their children.
The children's protest coincided with ongoing rallies by political parties, intensifying pressure on law enforcement. These protests caused traffic disruptions throughout Quetta, leaving commuters stuck for hours, Express Tribune reported.
Senior government officials were called to the Balochistan Assembly to update lawmakers on the progress of the investigation, but authorities are still without any leads, raising further concerns about public safety, as reported by the Express Tribune.
The abduction on November 14 has sparked widespread anger among citizens, political groups, and the business community. Protesters have pledged to intensify their demonstrations until Musawir is safely returned. Political parties, supported by the traders' community, have declared plans to block key highways linking Balochistan to the rest of the country.
A province-wide strike is planned to be held on November 25 to increase pressure on the provincial government to guarantee the safe return of the child.
Meanwhile, Maulana Abdul Wasey, the Amir of Balochistan Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), sharply criticized the provincial government during a press conference on Wednesday. He accused it of failing to ensure public safety and provide effective governance.
He declared his party's support for the planned shutter-down and wheel-jam strike on November 23, organized to demand the return of Muhammad Musawir. He stressed that the provincial government's failure to tackle lawlessness and maintain order highlighted its incompetence.
Enforced disappearances in Balochistan have been a long-standing and deeply troubling issue, with thousands of individuals, particularly from the Baloch ethnic community, forcibly taken by security forces or paramilitary groups, often without explanation or legal process.
These individuals are typically detained in secret locations, and their families are left in the dark about their whereabouts, often facing harassment and intimidation when they seek answers. Many of the disappeared are activists, political leaders, students, and ordinary citizens who are perceived as being critical of the state or advocating for the rights and autonomy of the Baloch people.