In Pakistan-occupied Balochistan (POB), ‘enforced disappearance’ of Baloch people has been going on for the last several decades. Ever since Pakistan illegally occupied Balochistan in 1948, thousands of Baloch have been abducted and disappeared and thousands have been killed under Pakistan’s ‘kill and dump’ policy.
Baloch intelligentsia that includes scientists, doctors, engineers, lawyers and political activists are specifically targeted by the Pakistani regime. Eminent Baloch activist Dr. Deen Mohammad Baloch was abducted on June 28, 2009 by the Pakistani forces. He remains “missing” till today. Dr Deen Mohammad Baloch was former central committee member of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) from Ornach, district Khuzdar. Dr Deen was on duty at the Ornach Civil Hospital when he was abducted by the Pakistani soldiers and ISI.
Sammi Baloch, daughter of Dr Deen Mohammad, said that after her father went missing, she and her mother moved to Karachi in 2013 because her mother was indisposed. They rented an apartment in Karachi. Later in the year 2018 their ancestral home in Mashkay was looted and burnt by the Pakistan Army and local Death Squads. All the memories that they had of their father which included hundreds of books were also burnt.
Sammi Deen Baloch and her sister Mehlab Deen Baloch, have been struggling to find their father and have knocked the doors of every court in Pakistan. The sisters spent their childhood in front of Press clubs. Sammi Baloch along with Mama Qadeer, vice chairman of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) also went on a historical long march from Quetta till Karachi then to Islamabad spanning more than 2000 km in 2013, but even this heroic effort failed to secure the release of Dr Deen Mohammad Baloch.
Mehlab Baloch had joined the Missing Persons’ Camp in Quetta, Karachi and Islamabad since the day of her father’s abduction, and has spent a decade in front of press clubs. “After the enforced disappearance of my father the pain that we have been going through, only my family can understand. We have knocked all the doors for justice, but I have to say with regret, that 12 years have passed and we couldn’t get justice,” said Sammi Baloch, with tears in her eyes.
Dr. Deen Mohammad Baloch was born on May 5, 1969 at Mashkay, Balochistan. Dr Deen was a bright student and completed school education at Mashkay with flying colours. He then cleared the entrance examination at Bolan Medical College Quetta. In the year 2000 he was appointed as a medical doctor at Mashkay. He served as a doctor in remote areas of Balochistan where most doctors were hesitant to go.
Dr. Deen Mohammad along with his close friend martyr Dr. Mannan Baloch served in inhospitable places of Awaran, Khuzdar, Jhaoo, and Mashkay in occupied Balochistan. Dr. Mannan Baloch was also the secretary general of Baloch National Movement (BNM). He was martyred by Pakistan Army and death squads in district Mastung.
Early this year, Sammi Baloch along with other 13 Baloch missing persons’ families started a sit-in at the D-Chowk in Islamabad for the safe return of her father Dr. Deen Mohammad Baloch. After spending a week under open sky in Islamabad’s biting cold and sleeping on the roads at D-Chowk, they were assured that Prime Minister Imran Khan would meet them in mid-March and promised that they would be updated about the progress made in this regard. On 18 March, three representatives of Baloch missing persons’ families including Sammi Baloch, accompanied by Minister of Human Rights Shireen Mazari and Zubeida Jalal met Prime Minister Khan with infinite hopes and expectations. However, their meeting remained futile as they were again given only blank assurances and fake promises as earlier.
Few days after this meeting, Zia Langove, Islamabad’s puppet home minister for in Balochistan said that he was given a list of 400 missing persons out of which 300 Baloch had been recovered and sent home with the help of federal government. All this was a blatant lie. These blank promises and distorted statements only raise further questions about the intent of Pakistani regime.
Daughters of Dr. Deen, Baloch National Movement (BNM) and family members of other Missing Persons of Balochistan have announced a worldwide protest demonstration , on the occasion of the twelfth anniversary of the disappearance of Dr. Deen Mohammad Baloch.