Balochistan

Schoolkids join protest for peer's recovery

Authorities clueless as no trace of boy abducted six days ago

Syed Ali Shah November 21, 2024

A child carrying a placard asking the Balochistan Police Chief to recover the kidnapped child: Photo social media

QUETTA:

Schoolchildren staged a protest at Balochistan Assembly Chowk on Wednesday evening, demanding the safe recovery of Muhammad Musawir, a minor abducted six days ago from the Multani Mohalla area.

Holding placards and banners, the children urged authorities to expedite efforts to locate the missing boy. "How can we focus on studies in such an insecure environment?" questioned Abdullah, a seventh-grader, as parents voiced growing fears for their children's safety.

The children's protest coincided with ongoing demonstrations by political parties, amplifying pressure on law enforcement. The demonstrations have paralysed traffic across Quetta, leaving commuters stranded for hours.

Senior administration officials were summoned to the Balochistan Assembly to brief lawmakers on the investigation's progress, but authorities remain without leads, deepening concerns over public safety.

The abduction has triggered widespread outrage among citizens, political groups, and the business community. Protesters have vowed to escalate their demonstrations until Musawir is safely recovered. Political parties, backed by the traders' community, announced plans to block major highways connecting Balochistan with the rest of the country.

A provincewide wheel-jam strike is scheduled for November 25 to mount additional pressure on the provincial government to ensure the unhurt recovery of the child.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Jamiat Ulema-e-Isla-Fazl (JUI-F) Amir Maulana Abdul Wasey strongly criticised the provincial government during a press conference on Wednesday, accusing it of failing to provide security to the public and ensuring effective governance.

He announced his party's support for the planned shutter-down and wheel-jam strike on November 23, organised to demand the recovery of Muhammad Musawir. He emphasised that the provincial government's inability to address lawlessness and maintain order reflected its incompetence.