2,200 missing persons ‘found’ in Balochistan

Balochistan’s Caretaker Minister of Information, Jan Achakzai, made a significant announcement on Wednesday, stating that 2,200 missing persons had been successfully located in the province. Providing updates during his regular media briefing, the minister disclosed that out of a total of 2,700 initially reported missing individuals in Balochistan, 2,200 had been reunited with their families. He did not delve into specific details regarding these returns.

Achakzai highlighted that, at present, 468 individuals remain missing in Balochistan. He expressed concern over the potential distortion of these statistics by certain elements for their political motives, particularly in the lead-up to the general elections.

The caretaker information minister’s remarks followed a presentation by the Commission on Missing Persons to the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Achakzai asserted that some factions within the country were intentionally amplifying these figures to discredit state institutions as part of a pre-planned conspiracy. He reassured that both the provincial and federal governments were steadfast in their commitment to ensuring the safe recovery of missing persons.

Read Balochistan govt claims 2,200 missing persons recovered

While acknowledging the challenging situation, Achakzai pointed out that militant organizations were exploiting this issue to exert pressure on state institutions and tarnish their reputation internationally. In a comparative context, he cited staggering numbers of missing persons in other countries, such as 350,000 in India, half a million in the United States, and one lakh in the United Kingdom.

The minister also took a critical stance against Mahrang Baloch, accusing her of attempting to leave the country and drawing parallels with Malala Yousafzai.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2024.