Concerns mount as abducted footballers remain missing

The football players abducted from the Dera Bugti region of Balochistan have not yet been recovered. Armed individuals abducted five footballers who were going to participate in the Chief Minister Gold Cup from Dera Bugti, and this incident was confirmed by the government at the provincial level on Sept 9th.

The Dera Bugti deputy commissioner had confirmed the abduction of football players, stating that the footballers who were going to Quetta to play in the CM Gold Cup had been abducted from the area of Jhani Beti.

The players were identified as Aamir Bugti, Faisal Bugti, Sohail Bugti, Yasar Bugti and Sheraz Bugti.

The footballers abducted a week ago have not yet been recovered. The Dera Bugti deputy commissioner stated that search operations are ongoing for the safe and secure recovery of the abducted individuals, and we hope they will be reunited with us soon.

There was a protest held in Quetta on the second day, demanding the recovery of the football players abducted from Dera Bugti. The tribal leaders and representatives from civil society participated in the demonstration. The protest was led by District Council Chairman Wadera Ghulam Nabi and Azatullah Bugti.

According to sources from the Interior Ministry, security forces are continuing their operations to recover the players.

After their abduction, the caretaker Balochistan home minister said security forces had launched a search operation, adding that the operation was suspended due to nightfall and sensitivity in the area, but would resume.

The Interim Interior Federal Minister Sarfraz Bugti said that an operation was launched to recover the players. Bugti said teams of Frontier Corps, deputy commissioner, commissioner and Levies Force were working to trace the suspects.

According to the interior ministry’s post on social media website X, all resources were being employed for the recovery of the players and directives had been issued to all relevant departments for their recovery.

The Additional Home Chief Secretary Saleh Muhammad Nasar on Saturday disclosed that a search operation has been initiated in the area. However, due to the darkness and the heightened sensitivity of the situation, the operation was temporarily suspended.

Nasar reassured the public, stating, “The operation will be resumed at first light, and we remain hopeful that the abducted football players will be recovered promptly.”

The gravity of the situation has prompted the caretaker Balochistan Chief Minister Ali Mardan Domki to take immediate notice of the incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2023.