Rukhsana Dost Baloch has marked Wednesday, July 3rd, as a solemn day, commemorating the nine-year anniversary of her brother Azeem Dost Baloch’s forced disappearance.
“My brother was forcibly disappeared from Gwadar on July 3, 2015, and he is still missing,” Rukhsana said. “For my brother’s recovery, we have knocked on every door, including courts, commissions, and press clubs, and used all means of protest, but no one has listened to us. To disappear a living person like this and keep them in torture cells for years without any crime is an inhuman act and a crime in itself.”
“After Azeem’s forced disappearance, we are facing all kinds of difficulties. At this time, not only is Azeem imprisoned in torture chambers, but the whole family is in collective torment. A mother has been yearning to see her son for the past 15 years, and even in her ill health, Azeem’s name is the only word on her tongue,” she added.
Rukhsana made a heartfelt plea to the puppet judiciary and authorities, emphasizing her brother’s innocence. “Azeem is innocent and has been tortured for 9 years. Whether he committed a crime or not, he has suffered severe punishments. Now, on humanitarian grounds, recover him and relieve us from further collective punishment.”
She also called upon Baloch rights and human rights activists, journalists, lawyers, and people from all walks of life to join her and Baloch Voice for Justice in a social media campaign on X (formerly Twitter) from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. on July 3rd. “Participate in the campaign and become our voice by using the hashtag #ReleaseAzeemDost.”
Since 1948, the Pakistan Army has forcefully occupied the resource-rich region of Balochistan and, to exploit it indefinitely, has launched scathing attacks on the Baloch community. Enforced disappearances, marginalization, and extrajudicial killings are some of the brutal means used to oppress the community.