Pakistan: Families hold protest in Balochistan over enforced youth disappearances

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Family members of two disappeared youths have staged a protest, demanding the immediate release of victims in Turbat, Balochistan on Friday, ANI reported.

The victims, Sher Jan and Irshad Baloch were forcibly kidnapped by the Pakistan military forces in the Buleda region of Kech district.

The sit-in protest occurred at Turbat's Fida Ahmed Chowk with many people joining the protest and showing solidarity against the oppression by the Pakistan military force.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee has also criticised the abduction of the two Baloch youths and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan, ANI reported.

In a post on X, the BYC stated,"BYC stands in solidarity with the sit-in protest by the family members of two forcibly disappeared Baloch youths from Bulada".The sit-in protest at Shaheed Fida Chowk, Turbat, demands the immediate recovery of Sherjan Darvesh Baloch, who forcibly disappeared on November 5, 2024, and Irshad, son of Haji Abdul Ghafoor, who forcibly disappeared on November 6, 2024".

The BYC further highlighted," Forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings are at their peak. In this hour of need, we urge the conscious people of Kech to support these families and join the sit-in protest".

According to ANI, the families lamented that instead of taking their youths to unknown locations, the armed forces should have brought them before legal authority. They further cautioned the government that if their demand was not accepted then they would hold a demonstration on highways.

A similar demonstration took place recently at Khuzdar, demanding the immediate release of Salman Baloch, who was kidnapped two years ago by the Pakistan armed forces. The BYC along with locals participated in the protest and chanted slogans against the enforced disapperance by the Pakistani armed forces.

The BYC people are standing in unity against the oppression perpetrated by Pakistani armed troops. Protests against enforced disappearances have so far taken place in Karachi, Hub Chowki, Khuzdar, Turbat, Panjgur, Kharan, Quetta, Nushki, Dalbandin, and Chagai, ANI reported.

(With inputs from ANI)