In a heart-wrenching appeal, the mother of Zakir Majid Baloch, a student activist who disappeared 14 years ago, expressed her anguish during a press conference at the Quetta Press Club. With the support of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons leaders, she spoke passionately about her enduring struggle for answers and justice.

Zakir Majid’s mother explained that for over a decade, she has been visiting the press club, clinging to the hope that someone’s heart would be moved to provide information about her son, Zakir Majid Baloch. The agony of not knowing his fate has tormented her throughout these long, painful years. However, despite her unwavering determination, there is still no word about Zakir Majid.

The Zakir Majid Baloch Story

The tragic story began on June 8, 2009, when Zakir Majid was forcibly taken from Mustung Parangabad. In response, she and her family established a protest camp in front of the press club that lasted for over two months. Their peaceful protests aimed to highlight the enforced disappearance of Zakir Majid and demanded answers and justice. However, it seems that peaceful political and democratic protests are not given the importance they deserve in Pakistan.

Zakir Majid Baloch was not just a student leader; he also served as the senior vice-chairman of the Baloch Students Organization – Azad (BSO-A). Despite their relentless 60-day protest in front of the press club, Zakir Majid was neither released nor presented in court.

The family’s determination did not waver; they even staged a hunger strike camp in Karachi to raise awareness and demand Zakir Majid’s recovery. However, the hope for his return remained unfulfilled. The family then embarked on a long march from Quetta to Islamabad via Karachi, yet, despite their fervent demonstrations, Zakir Majid’s release remains a distant dream.

Enforced Disappearance

Zakir Majid’s mother implored the Pak Army to show compassion, emphasizing that a mother’s love for her child never fades. The anguish of being separated from her son for 14 long years is something no mother should have to endure. She questioned why Pakistan continues to torment a mother by forcibly disappearing her son, and whether this level of injustice aligns with their legal system and religious values.

She urged the state to engage in dialogue and to take her plea for Zakir Majid’s recovery seriously. Fourteen years of separation have been an unbearable burden, and the pain of Zakir Majid’s enforced disappearance cannot be ignored. She appealed to all individuals in society to support their relentless struggle for justice.

The plea was also extended to international organizations, the Pak Army, and the Supreme Court of Pakistan, urging them to take action and help reunite Zakir Majid with his family, bringing an end to their enduring nightmare.

For far too long, Pakistan-occupied-Balochistan has witnessed enforced disappearances, targeting political activists, students, and civilians by the Pak Army. They are subjected to torture, and their lifeless bodies are discarded in isolated areas. Following the illegal occupation of Balochistan in March 1948, Balochistan has been fighting the war of its existence and freedom from Pakistan.

In a recent interview, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the chief of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), lambasted the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition government. Mengal asserted that the PDM government was established with the assistance of the military establishment, and had it not been for differences between General Bajwa and Prime Minister Imran Khan, the coalition would never have come into existence.

Mengal’s criticism of the PDM government was notable, as he pointed out the government’s actions, including amending the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and passing 56 bills in a single day in the assembly. He claimed that despite these moves, not a single bill from his party was passed.

Hard to align with others now

He expressed his disappointment in the major political parties, including PML-N, PPP, and PTI, stating that he would think long and hard before forming an alliance with any of these parties. Mengal highlighted how these parties sought support during elections but seemed to forget their promises once in power.

When asked about whether he felt exploited by the PDM government, Mengal commented that such exploitation was commonplace in politics, with parties using each other for their own interests.

Mengal recalled a meeting with Shehbaz Sharif, where he had emphasized the importance of not leaving Balochistan at the mercy of the establishment, a concern that Mengal believed was ignored.

He mentioned the issue of missing persons, which became a point of contention during the PDM government’s formation. When no action was taken on this issue, the Mengal group began resigning from the cabinet.

Mengal also revealed that after the resignation of two ministers, discussions were initiated. He disclosed that the military establishment played a significant role in the formation of the coalition government, with General Qamar Javed Bajwa meeting him and attempting to balance relations with both the PDM and PTI.

General Bajwa urged both sides to avoid confrontation and remain cooperative. Mengal emphasized that if it were not for the differences between General Bajwa and Imran Khan, the PDM coalition would not have come to fruition.

Regarding the upcoming elections in Pakistan, Mengal mentioned that immediately after the PDM’s formation, it was decided that elections would be held promptly after the success of the movement.

Question on Nawaz Sharif’s return

Mengal expressed his concerns about the return of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, questioning the timing of his return. He suggested that the circumstances of Nawaz Sharif’s return raised doubts, especially as the election approaches, and he urged Nawaz Sharif to provide an explanation to his former allies.

Mengal concluded by expressing his frustration with the government’s inability to do anything other than address its own legal cases. He doubted whether any major party would genuinely desire early elections, as it could lead to uncertainty regarding the fate of the PDM coalition and the PTI government.

In light of these developments, the political landscape in Pakistan remains complex and fluid, with key players making significant claims about the role of the military establishment in shaping the country’s political dynamics.

Clashes of Wadh and disillusionment of BNP-M Chief

It is worth mentioning that Mengal tribes led by Shafiq Mengal and Akhtar Mengal supporters fought a fierce gun battle in past four months which ended a few weeks ago. Due to the heavy shelling and use of military grade armoury like machine guns and rocket launcher, the region of Wadh saw months of ceasure. The reason for the clashes was the spying on Baloch nationals and their enforced disappearance by a Pak Army sponsored death squad headed by Shafiq Mengal.

The faction of Akhtar Mengal had then accused Shafiq of using death squad to weaken the Baloch nationalists ahead of the upcoming elections. Since Wadh is retuning to normalcy and the fighters have withdrawn from the trenches (from where they attacked each other), Akhtar Mengal’s statements show disillusionment form the Pakistan military and political parties that have for long harboured these death squads and sidelined the political rights of Baloch nationals.

In Islamabad, Baloch students held a protest rally demanding the release of their missing loved ones and an end to the impunity for forced disappearances.

The protest was organized by the Baloch Students Council Islamabad, a student organization that advocates for the rights of Baloch people in Pakistan. The rally was held in front of the Islamabad National Press Club, a symbol of press freedom in Pakistan.

The protest was attended by students, political activists, and human rights advocates from across Pakistan. The protesters carried placards with slogans such as “Release Saheel and Fasih Baloch!” and “Stop Forced Disappearances in Balochistan!”

Addressing the protest rally, the speakers said that all stakeholders and policymakers are present in Islamabad, and yet the injustice and unrest that has been going on in Pak-occupied-Balochistan for 70 years cannot be stopped. They also said that the Baloch people are tired of being treated as second-class citizens in their own country.

Islamabad Rally

The protesters demanded that the Pakistan Army immediately release all Baloch people who have been forcibly disappeared by Pakistan security forces. They also called for an end to the impunity for forced disappearances, and for the perpetrators of these crimes to be brought to justice.

The students emphasized that in Balochistan, enforced disappearances continue to occur. Initially, political workers and ordinary citizens went missing, followed by the abduction of students. Currently, the educated class of Baloch society is also being subjected to enforced disappearances, as individuals like Suhail and Faseeh remain missing. There have been attempts to abduct Fareed Baloch, who hails from Lahore. During the protest, a heavy police presence surrounded the demonstrators.

The protesters stated that when people in Pak-occupied Sindh and Pak-occupied-Balochistan take to the streets to demand the recovery of their loved ones, they are often targeted with violence or subjected to harassment by agencies. In Islamabad, when they voice their concerns, armed forces are deployed against them. In the end, it was questioned whether there is any way to engage in dialogue with the Baloch people, or if they too have been disappeared.

There are thousands of people who have been forcibly disappeared, and Pakistan Army is solely responsible for these disappearances. Pakistan-occupied-Balochistan have a long history of human rights abuses, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances.

A deadly attack occurred in the coastal city of Gwadar in occupied Balochistan, 14 Pakistan Army personnel have been killed. The Public Relations Department of the Pakistan Army, ISPR has also confirmed the attack.

According to ISPR, the attack unfolded as Pakistan forces were ambushed while traveling in two vehicles of a QRF at Malgore Bent. The attack took place while forces were on a move from Pasni tehsil of Gwadar to Ormara. The death toll of 14 Pakistan Army personnel killed has also been confirmed by the ISPR.

Notably, no group or organization has claimed responsibility for this attack at the time of reporting. The region has witnessed previous large-scale attacks on security forces, underscoring the persistent security challenges in this volatile area.

The incident is reminiscent of similar attack from 2020 when an alliance of Baloch freedom fighters (BRAS ) carried out an attack in the same region, resulting in the death of 15 personnel and the capture of weapons.