A large protest rally was held in Awaran Bazaar by the family of Diljan Baloch, condemning his enforced disappearance. The rally culminated in a sit-in outside the Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) Complex, drawing hundreds of participants, including women and children, demanding justice and the safe recovery of Diljan.
Protesters criticized the occupied-state and law enforcement agencies for their silence on the issue and called for an immediate halt to the ongoing practice of enforced disappearances in POB. Demonstrators demanded that Diljan Baloch be presented in court if there are charges against him, or otherwise released without delay.
Three weeks ago, the family had staged an indefinite sit-in for Diljan’s recovery. At that time, local authorities, including the district administration, the District Police Officer (DPO) of Awaran, and so-called-political leaders, assured the protesters that Diljan would be recovered within 14 days. However, with no progress made and the deadline expired, the family and community members have resumed their protests, as the administration of failing to honor its promises.
The enforced disappearance of Diljan Baloch is part of a systematic policy of intimidation employed by the Paki establishment against the Baloch people. For decades, the Pak Army has relied on abductions, torture, and extrajudicial killings as tools to crush Baloch identity by terror and subjugation.
Since the forceful occupation of Balochistan in 1948, the Pak Army’s “kill and dump” policy has resulted in countless disappearances. Families are left devastated, with many never receiving information about the fate of their loved ones. Protesters at the rally emphasized that these actions are not isolated incidents but a systemic feature of Pakistan’s oppressive regime in POB.