On Friday, residents of Parom, a town in Balochistan’s Panjgur district, announced a sit-in outside the local Frontier Corps (FC) camp, demanding the immediate release of their missing loved ones. The residents warned that if their demands were not met, they would expand their protests.
According to a statement by the residents, Pakistani forces conducted an operation late Thursday night, surrounding the area and raiding homes. The residents accused the forces of vandalizing property, looting valuables, and subjecting the locals to physical abuse. During the operation, four young men — identified as Khalil Siddique, Abdul Shakoor Saleh, Arshad Rafiq, and Waseem s/o Muhammad Hashim — were reportedly detained and have since gone missing, with no information provided about their whereabouts.
The families and locals have issued an ultimatum, demanding the release of the missing men by Friday night. They have vowed to stage a sit-in at the Resh Pesh FC camp starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday if their demands remain unmet. Protesters stated that their demonstration would continue until the detainees are released and warned that the responsibility for any harm during the protest would lie with the forces and local administration.
Local sources reported that all the missing individuals were laborers or drivers of vehicles transporting oil. The residents called for their immediate release, emphasizing that these men were not involved in any criminal activities.
Meanwhile, in Quetta, the protest camp by the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) outside the press club entered its 5659th day on Friday. Political and social activists, including Muhammad Ali Baloch, Abdul Razzaq Baloch, Mir Bijjar Marri, Tahir Badini, and Suresh Bugti, joined the camp from Khuzdar to show solidarity with the families of the disappeared.
Speaking to the visitors, VBMP Vice Chairman Mama Qadeer Baloch criticized the Pakistani state for its continuous disregard for international human rights principles. He condemned the intensifying crackdown in areas like Panjgur, Khuzdar, Kharan, Kalat, Bolan, Dera Bugti, and Harnai, where military operations have reportedly escalated in recent weeks.Mama Qadeer also accused state-backed militias of committing atrocities against the Baloch population. He highlighted the increasing incidents of abductions and the recovery of mutilated bodies, calling it a grim reminder of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Balochistan.
The residents of Balochistan have repeatedly voiced their grievances over enforced disappearances and military operations, but their demands for justice and accountability remain unanswered.