Rally in Turbat against disappearances

Relatives urge safe and early recovery of all missing persons who they claimed were whisked away by security agencies.

QUETTA: Relatives of missing persons held a rally in Turbat on Friday, demanding international humanitarian organisations to use their influence for the safe and early recovery of all missing persons who they claimed were whisked away by security agencies.

The rally started from the Degree College Turbat, passed through various city areas, and terminated at the college premises, where protesters staged a demonstration. The protesters chanted slogans against security forces and government functionaries accusing them of taking Baloch people hostage and keeping them in illegal detention. They also criticised the judiciary for not taking any action.

Addressing the protesters, deputy chairperson of the Azad faction of the Baloch Student Organisation (BSO-Azad), Bano Kareema Baloch said that more than 8,000 Baloch people have been missing for the past several years and despite the government’s claims, the number of missing persons is increasing day by day. “Security forces and agencies have been given a free-hand to take people hostage and conduct raids. The missing persons are kept in illegal torture cells,” she alleged.

Sisters of some missing persons said their houses had been raided by personnel of security forces. “Because the judiciary is not sincere with the missing persons, this issue is being ignored,” one of the protesters said. Several protesters complained that the police were hampering their efforts to lodge criminal cases against personnel of secret agencies.

“Our fears are being realised with the discovery of every corpse bearing torture marks and bullet holes. We only want our loved ones to be produced before a court of law,” another relative said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2010.