Turbat [Pakistan], June 19 : Family members and residents in Turbat, the main city of Balochistan's Kech district, staged a sit-in protest on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) highway following the alleged enforced disappearance of Yawar Habib, son of Habib Baloch, outside the Turbat High Court on June 16, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
According to The Balochistan Post, Yawar was abducted in broad daylight outside the court, where he had accompanied his father for a legal hearing. Eyewitnesses claimed that unidentified men in plain clothes forced him into a vehicle and fled the scene. His family expressed grave concern over his safety, noting that this is not the first time Yawar has been forcibly disappeared; he had previously vanished under similar circumstances and was later released.
In response to the abduction, family members and residents blocked the CPEC highway at Shapak, disrupting traffic on one of the region's most critical routes. The protestors held placards and chanted slogans demanding Yawar's immediate and safe return. They warned that such disappearances are becoming routine in the region, with little to no accountability.
Speaking at the protest, several demonstrators condemned the growing trend of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, calling it a blatant violation of human rights. They urged national and international human rights organisations to take immediate notice and pressure the state for justice. "The silence and inaction of the authorities have only emboldened those responsible," said one protester, as quoted by The Balochistan Post.
Protesters emphasised that enforced disappearances not only traumatise families but destabilise the region by eroding trust in institutions. They vowed to continue their sit-in until Yawar is safely recovered and authorities provide assurance against future abductions.
The incident adds to a long list of unresolved disappearances in Balochistan, where families have for years protested in search of missing loved ones.