The oppressive grip of the Pakistan Army over Balochistan tightened further as students from the Agricultural University of Uthal took to the streets to protest the recent wave of enforced disappearances. The protest, which saw active participation from both male and female students as well as faculty members, highlighted the growing unrest among the youth of POB who are increasingly becoming targets of the military’s brutal tactics.
Carrying placards and photographs of their missing friends, the protesters demanded the immediate recovery of four students—Gulab, Balach, Biyan, and Nasir—abducted in broad daylight from Uthal Bazaar. While some of the detainees have been released, the fate of others remains shrouded in uncertainty. The silence of the authorities only reinforces suspicions of the Pakistan Army’s involvement in these kidnappings, a tactic long used to suppress dissent and instill fear in the region.
This protest is explains a larger narrative of oppression in POB. For decades, the Pakistan Army has treated the region as its colony, systematically targeting Baloch students, intellectuals, and activists in a bid to crush the voices demanding autonomy and justice. The abduction of students from educational institutions signals a new low, where even the sanctity of education is not spared from military overreach.
The protesters warned of intensifying their demonstrations if their missing friends are not recovered, holding the authorities and the military directly responsible for the deteriorating situation. By abducting and silencing students, the military aims to crush the aspirations of an educated and empowered Baloch youth who dare to challenge the decades-long exploitation of their land and resources.