International Desk

Baloch student organisations across Pakistan are mobilising to protest the recent surge in enforced disappearances and harassment of Baloch students in various educational institutions.

In Quetta, Balochistan, a rally is being organised by the Baloch Students Council to demand the release of Farooq Baloch and Anees Baloch after they were allegedly abducted by the Pak Army. The protest is scheduled to commence at 4:30PM on Tuesday from Balochistan University.

Meanwhile, in Lahore, the Baloch Students Council’s Punjab unit held a protest rally Tuesday at Punjab University, raising voices against the enforced disappearances of Baloch students as well as the profiling and harassment they face in institutions across Punjab and Islamabad.

Adding a digital dimension to the protests, the Baloch Students Councils of Punjab and Islamabad are organising a Twitter Space discussion titled “Recent Surge in Enforced Disappearances and Profiling/Harassment of Baloch Students.” This online event aims to shed light on the pressing issue and garner broader support.

The enforced disappearances of Baloch students and activists have been a longstanding concern in Pakistan, with human rights organisations repeatedly urging authorities to address the issue and ensure the safety and rights of all citizens.

These planned protests highlight the growing frustration within the Baloch student community and their determination to raise awareness about the violations they face by the very authority that is in power. Since Pak Army occupied Balochistan in 1948, Baloch community is living in “nightmares,” the Baloch students allege. They are not only subjected to enforced disappearances but also frequent raids, and extra-judicial killings.

Source: News Intervention Bureau