The persistent search for missing loved ones continues in Balochistan, where families face the heartbreaking reality of enforced disappearances. Many women, including Saira Baloch, navigate morgues and protests, hoping to find answers about their brothers and sons who were allegedly taken by security forces.
The Struggle for Answers: Families of the Disappeared in Balochistan
The Struggle for Answers: Families of the Disappeared in Balochistan
Women in Balochistan are fighting against enforced disappearances, as they search for missing family members amidst a backdrop of loss and sorrow.
In Balochistan, the pursuit of justice often intersects with despair, as loved ones vanish without explanation. Saira Baloch, now burdened with the weight of uncertainty since her brother's disappearance in 2018, embodies the anguish felt by countless families affected by this plight. At just 15, Saira entered a morgue for the first time and was met with the harrowing sight of tortured bodies. Despite this grim reality, she perseveres in her search.
For over two decades, thousands of ethnic Baloch individuals have allegedly been subjected to enforced disappearances as part of government crackdowns on separatist groups. The Pakistani government claims these individuals have either joined militants or fled the country. Many families protesting in Quetta insist their missing relatives are innocent victims caught in a web of state-led violence.
Saira's brother, Muhammad Asif Baloch, was taken during a counter-terrorism operation; since then, she has attended multiple protests in the hopes of his return. Despite living in a province rich in natural resources, Balochistan has remained impoverished and marginalized. Women like Jannat Bibi and Mahrang Baloch continue to search valiantly for their missing sons and fathers, speaking out against authorities who dismiss their experiences.
These women represent not only the burden of personal loss but the larger systemic issues they face in a region where poverty, violence, and repression intertwine. The frequency of protests has increased in response to shocking events; like a recent train hijacking by a militant group demanding the return of the disappeared.
Despite ongoing risks—including threats against activists and their families—women like Mahrang are determined to fight for their rights and the resolution of their losses. Meanwhile, children like 10-year-old Masooma grapple with the crushing absence of their fathers, their lives forever altered by the silent yet resonant cries of loss echoing throughout Balochistan.
For over two decades, thousands of ethnic Baloch individuals have allegedly been subjected to enforced disappearances as part of government crackdowns on separatist groups. The Pakistani government claims these individuals have either joined militants or fled the country. Many families protesting in Quetta insist their missing relatives are innocent victims caught in a web of state-led violence.
Saira's brother, Muhammad Asif Baloch, was taken during a counter-terrorism operation; since then, she has attended multiple protests in the hopes of his return. Despite living in a province rich in natural resources, Balochistan has remained impoverished and marginalized. Women like Jannat Bibi and Mahrang Baloch continue to search valiantly for their missing sons and fathers, speaking out against authorities who dismiss their experiences.
These women represent not only the burden of personal loss but the larger systemic issues they face in a region where poverty, violence, and repression intertwine. The frequency of protests has increased in response to shocking events; like a recent train hijacking by a militant group demanding the return of the disappeared.
Despite ongoing risks—including threats against activists and their families—women like Mahrang are determined to fight for their rights and the resolution of their losses. Meanwhile, children like 10-year-old Masooma grapple with the crushing absence of their fathers, their lives forever altered by the silent yet resonant cries of loss echoing throughout Balochistan.
