Baloch American Congress President Urges Collective Action to Address Enforced Disappearances in Balochistan

October 14 :
The persistent hardships endured by the Baloch people have been brought to light by the Baloch American Congress. This includes the brutal persecution, disappearances without trace, and human rights abuses committed by the Pakistani government's secret services and military.

By urging the Baloch people to stand together, the group has highlighted the need of collective action in bringing attention to the issue and securing justice.

"The Pakistani army and its secret agencies have oppressed and forced disappeared thousands of Baloch youths, educated individuals, and artists for years," said Tara Chand, president of the Baloch American Congress, in a recent X post. The Baloch people must rise up as one and fight this injustice. In this struggle for justice and the freedom of our loved ones, we beg the international community to stand with us.
For the benefit of the Baloch people, especially those residing in the US, there is a grassroots group known as the Baloch American Congress (BAC). The political, socioeconomic, and human rights challenges that Baloch populations, particularly in Balochistan, face are intended to be brought to light.

A major human rights concern, especially in recent years, has been the matter of enforced disappearances in Balochistan.

Thousands of people, including students, journalists, and activists, have disappeared during the early 2000s, with many thought to have been kidnapped by agents or members of the Pakistani state's security services, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Balochistan has one of Pakistan's worst rates of enforced disappearances, according to a 2019 study by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, further worsening the situation for families trying to find their loved ones.

Human rights groups and activists, such as Amnesty International, have been pressing the government to do something about these abuses and ensure that victims get justice.

The problem of abductions in Balochistan, especially those involving pupils, has persisted as an urgent matter for the past few years. More than 150 students were forcefully vanished in 2022 alone, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). This practice, which began in 2018, targets young activists and those active in political protest.

Amnesty International voiced serious concerns about these kidnappings in a statement released in June 2023. The organization highlighted that students' political activity puts them at a higher danger of harassment and assault from state security services.