Balochistan [Pakistan], December 24 : The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has called on the public in Balochistan to mobilise against what it refers to as an escalating trend of enforced disappearances affecting Baloch women. This plea follows a statement from its senior leader, Sabiha Baloch, who urged the Baloch populace to break their silence and voice their concerns over these actions, as reported by The Balochistan Post (TBP).
In a video message shared on Sunday, Sabiha Baloch highlighted that enforced disappearances in Balochistan have extended beyond men and young activists, now increasingly impacting Baloch women. She noted that in recent days, numerous women have reportedly been forcibly taken by Pakistani forces, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), and intelligence agencies, including an eight-month pregnant woman, two youths with disabilities, and a mother with her child, as per the TBP report.
Sabiha condemned the abduction of a pregnant woman, describing it as not only a grave injustice but also tantamount to a crime against humanity. She indicated that the targeting of women signifies a troubling escalation in state practices and has exacerbated the suffering of families already affected by such actions.
She announced that the BYC is initiating a five-day campaign to protest the enforced disappearances of Baloch women. Outlining the campaign, Sabiha mentioned that it would involve launching an online petition advocating for justice and an end to enforced disappearances. Victims, activists, students, writers, and families of the disappeared will contribute their stories, testimonies, and campaign materials, which will be shared globally via social media. According to her remarks, the campaign will also incorporate art, poetry, writing, music, and visual art to underscore what she termed as alleged state brutality and oppression related to enforced disappearances. Additionally, peaceful protests and symbolic actions will be organised to highlight the plight of Baloch women and demand accountability. The campaign will culminate in a webinar that will feature activists, families of the disappeared, and voices from all over Balochistan.
In her concluding remarks, Sabiha Baloch emphasised the significance of every voice and cautioned that silence only serves to empower oppression. She called upon the Baloch community to come together and speak out against what she referred to as ongoing injustice, as reported by TBP.
In a separate statement, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee reiterated the launch of the same five-day campaign starting on 22 December, pointing to what they characterised as a sharp increase in the enforced disappearance of Baloch women. The organisation labelled this trend as a perilous intensification of systematic policy and cautioned that such actions are becoming normalised, resulting in profound social and psychological damage, as highlighted in the TBP report.
The BYC statement cited several recent incidents involving allegedly disappeared Baloch women, including students and minors, and stated that the campaign aims to document these experiences, galvanise public resistance, and attract both national and international attention to the issue through petitions, testimonies, artistic expression, symbolic protests, and an online webinar concluding the campaign, as noted by the TBP report.