Former Chairman of the Baloch Students Organization (Azad), Zahid Baloch, and Junior Joint Secretary Asad Baloch have been forcibly disappeared for 11 years. Meanwhile, Zahid Baloch’s family continues to face collective punishment. We urge international organizations to stand with us against these egregious human rights violations.
These concerns were voiced by the Baloch National Movement (BNM) spokesperson in a statement marking the 11th year of enforced disappearance of Zahid Baloch and Asad Baloch, alongside the recent tragic incident involving Zahid Baloch’s family.
The spokesperson highlighted that Zahid Baloch was abducted by the Pakistan Army on March 18, 2014, and has since remained forcibly disappeared. This abduction exemplifies state terrorism and is part of the broader collective punishment inflicted on the Baloch people.
In response to the martyrdom of Shah Jahan Baloch, the spokesperson condemned the incident as a brutal act of collective punishment. Shah Jahan Baloch was killed on March 14 in Naal, Balochistan, by Pakistani state-backed death squads. He was the sole breadwinner for his family and ran a personal business in his area.
The spokesperson further stated that Shah Jahan Baloch’s younger brother, Saleem Babul, an active member of BNM, was also forced into exile and is now seeking asylum in the United Kingdom. The plight of Zahid Baloch’s family highlights the ongoing displacement and suffering inflicted upon the Baloch people.
Protests and hunger strikes have repeatedly been held to demand the release of the forcibly disappeared Baloch student leaders. Despite assurances of their recovery, these promises remain unfulfilled, and Zahid Baloch and Asad Baloch continue to endure torture in Pakistan’s secret detention centers. Instead of justice, Zahid Baloch’s family faced yet another tragedy with the killing of their breadwinner, Shah Jahan Baloch.
We call upon international organizations to investigate the murder of Shah Jahan Baloch, the 11-year enforced disappearance of Zahid Baloch and Asad Baloch, and the thousands of other cases of enforced disappearances. Pakistan must be held accountable for these atrocities, and the global community must take a firm stand against these violations of human rights.
