The Baloch Students Council in Islamabad has raised a serious concern about the safety and well-being of Baloch students across the country. In a recent incident, two Baloch students, Jawad Ould Iqbal and Zaid Ould Abdul Rasool, were forcibly arrested by Pakistan secret agencies and security forces in the early hours of the morning from different locations in Islamabad. This incident adds to the growing list of forced disappearances faced by Baloch students, highlighting the severity of the state oppression they are enduring.
Jawad Iqbal, a fifth-semester student in the Electronics Department at Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, and Zaid, who recently completed his Intermediate education at Orbit College in Bara Kahoo, were preparing to pursue their higher education at Quaid-e-Azam University before their sudden abduction.
The spokesman of Baloch Students Council Islamabad expressed grave concerns, stating that Baloch students are not safe, whether in Islamabad or Dera Bugti. He highlighted the alarming trend of forced disappearances, noting that dozens of Baloch individuals have been reported missing from various regions, including Makran, Karachi, Dera Ghazi Khan, Shall, Awran, Dera Bugti, Mishke, and Islamabad, in the recent month of July alone.
Moreover, the plight of Baloch students extends beyond mere disappearances. Students in Punjab and federal educational institutions have faced harassment and profiling for an extended period. Many students receive threatening phone calls, and their families are often coerced into mentally harassing them. This pattern of targeted mistreatment perpetuates a hostile environment for Baloch students, where they endure planned torture within educational institutions.
The spokesman condemned the inaction of the authorities in addressing the legitimate concerns of Baloch students. Despite presenting their grievances before the Supreme Court, High Court, Federal Commission, media, and press clubs, the state’s oppressive tactics seem to persist unchecked. The recent disappearance of Jawad and Zaid underscores the lack of effective action taken to protect Baloch students from enforced disappearances and violence.
Earlier incidents of enforced disappearances, such as that of ARID University student Feroze Baloch, who remains missing, have only fueled the urgency of addressing this crisis. The Baloch Students Council is adamant about not remaining silent on the issue and has announced its intention to soon unveil a comprehensive action plan in response to the recent incident.
The Council urges all political parties, human rights organizations, and especially Baloch student organizations to join forces in raising their voices against the forced disappearances of Jawad, Zaid, Salim Baloch, and all other Baloch students.
It should be noted that Balochistan, gained its independence from the Britishers on August 11, 1947, faced a tragic turn of events when its freedom was abruptly cut short after a mere seven months. On March 27, 1948, Pakistan forcefully occupied Baloch land, marking the beginning of a tumultuous chapter in the history of the Baloch people. Since then, the Baloch community has endured a harrowing plight of mysterious abductions, mass murders, and mutilations. Despite facing intimidation and violence, the people of Balochistan stand firm in their quest for justice, liberty, and the restoration of their homeland.