NEW DELHI: In a heart-wrenching display of their persistent sorrow and discontent, families affected by enforced disappearances in the Balochistan region of Pakistan decided to abandon customary Eid festivities. Instead, they planned to stage a protest to voice their outrage against state agencies alleged to have perpetrated atrocities against the Baloch people.
Mama Qadir Baloch, a key member of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), declared the protest in a video statement, asserting, “For the past 15 years, the atrocities committed by the Army and intelligence agencies of Pakistan have led the Baloch to boycott Eid celebrations.While Muslims across the world celebrate this occasion, the Baloch mourn.”
Coinciding with this, families of the missing persons organized a sit-in protest at Shaheed Fida Chowk on Eid day, following a similar demonstration in front of the DC office just days prior. The earlier protest concluded after the district administration provided assurances to the families.
The decision to protest on Eid emphasizes the profound impact of enforced disappearances on the Baloch community, who have been tirelessly seeking justice and answers regarding the fate of their loved ones, allegedly taken by state forces.