Baloch family holds protest for 34th day over son’s enforced disappearance by Pakistani forces

Baloch Family’s Brave Protest Continues Amid Enforced Disappearances in Pakistan

In a heart-wrenching stand against enforced disappearances in Pakistan, a Baloch family from Quetta has been holding a sit-in protest at the Karachi Press Club for 34 straight days. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a key rights group fighting for Baloch rights, shared this update on Sunday, highlighting the family’s unyielding demand for justice.

The protest centers on 25-year-old Zahid Ali, a student of International Relations at Karachi University. On July 17, 2025, Pakistani forces allegedly "forcibly disappeared" him along with his rickshaw. His family, led by his father Abdul Hameed, refuses to back down despite Abdul’s health taking a serious turn for the worse. "Day 34 of Zahid Ali’s protest camp at Karachi Press Club," BYC posted on X. "This 25-year-old IR student from Karachi University vanished on July 17, 2025. Even with Abdul Hameed’s health deteriorating, the family stays strong, calling for Zahid’s safe release. It’s a stark reminder of how enforced disappearances in Balochistan and Karachi are ripping families apart."

BYC’s post paints a vivid picture of the family’s determination, urging attention to the ongoing crisis of missing persons in Balochistan. These enforced disappearances have become a major human rights issue in Pakistan, with activists like BYC raising alarms about state involvement.

Shocking Extrajudicial Killings Rock Balochistan

The news from Balochistan doesn’t stop there. On Saturday, BYC strongly condemned the brutal killing of Mullah Bahram, a resident of Koh Dagar in Kech district. Eyewitnesses say state-backed death squads shot him dead in the afternoon of September 6, 2025. "Mullah Bahram, son of Abdul Ghafoor from Koh Dagar, sub-tehsil Mand, district Kech, fell victim to these squads," BYC stated on X. "This happened just hours after another youth, Izhar, was killed in the same area, showing a clear pattern of targeted killings in Balochistan."

Adding to the tragedy, BYC also highlighted the death of Izhar Mujeeb, a young Baloch teenager from Kech district. Reports say Pakistan Army-backed death squads opened fire on him while he was at his shop in the Soro area of Mand that morning. Izhar, son of Mullah Mujeeb and from Lebanon sub-tehsil, suffered severe injuries and was rushed to the hospital. Sadly, he didn’t make it due to heavy blood loss. "Local sources confirm these perpetrators operate under Pakistani forces’ command," BYC noted, pointing to a wave of attacks on students, activists, and political opponents across Balochistan.

These incidents spotlight the rising concerns over extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. BYC’s reports on X have sparked calls for international attention to the plight of Baloch people, as families continue to suffer from enforced disappearances and violence. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.