(Written by: Abdul Basit Alvi)
There has been increasing activity in Balochistan by groups claiming to so- called represent the Baloch people and using violence to instill fear. The BLA, having failed to disrupt security and infrastructure on a large scale, has returned to its original tactics. In a particularly cowardly act, several months ago, they intercepted the Makka coach traveling from Quetta to Taftan on National Highway N-40 at Nushki, killing nine innocent laborers. These terrorists are not engaged in a legitimate struggle for rights; rather, they are criminals, thieves, and anti-national elements causing harm in various ways.
They are believed to receive substantial support from enemy intelligence agencies for carrying out such terrorist acts. Not only do these individuals rob laborers seeking employment, but they also resort to violence against them. Their aim is to sow fear and panic within society while waging terrorist activities against the state and its institutions. Dr. Mahrang Baloch, the so-called leader of the Baloch Solidarity Committee, along with her fellow journalists who claim to be human rights advocates, are often accused of using the issue of missing persons as a cover to defame the state and its institutions.
However, they fail to justify the killing of innocent civilians and show no solidarity or condolences to the families of the victims of such violence. They lack the moral courage to denounce terrorist acts or terrorism itself. In fact, those who support or defend terrorism cannot be considered loyal or patriotic to either the people of Balochistan or the state of Pakistan. When the government and law enforcement agencies take decisive action against terrorist elements, these so-called human rights advocates are quick to intervene and criticize. Interestingly, these so-called human rights advocates often remain silent when other countries implement even harsher measures against similar elements within their own borders.
Our judicial system, while widely acknowledged for its shortcomings and delays, frequently results in cases dragging on for years, leading to wrongful convictions of innocent individuals, while the true perpetrators evade justice. In such an environment, when our agencies detain individuals for investigation and evidence-gathering, accusations of coercive and illegal arrests often arise.
However, I firmly believe that our agencies do not apprehend innocent people without reason—there is always a basis for these arrests. If someone is innocent and has not acted against the state or its armed forces, there is no justification for their detention. Behind every missing person case, there is usually a deeper story, and our religion teaches us to value our country, which has given us our identity and freedom. Therefore, it is our duty to recognize the significance of our independence, our nation, and our patriotic armed forces.
While it may be easy to immediately blame the agencies for allegedly detaining innocents, we must also acknowledge that many of these arrests have led to the identification of terrorists, anti-state elements, and foreign agents. Terrorists rarely confess to their crimes willingly, and thorough investigations are often necessary to extract vital information. National security is a fundamental priority, and no country compromises on this matter.
I have come across many columnists and journalists who relentlessly criticize our agencies, often focusing on only one aspect of the issue. In presenting a more balanced and truthful perspective, I aim to address those who question the disappearance of certain individuals. I do not claim that all missing persons are guilty—such judgments are not within my role or that of journalists to make. Only a proper investigation can determine an individual’s innocence or guilt.
There are multiple factors at play when it comes to missing persons. It is important to note that not all missing individuals are within the jurisdiction of law enforcement. Some may be linked to terrorist organizations or engaged in activities against the state. These individuals may go into hiding to avoid arrest. Others may disappear due to personal conflicts, seeking refuge in remote areas to escape retaliation.
Some may be involved in cross-border smuggling or other criminal activities, intentionally evading detection by staying in hiding. The designation of these individuals as “missing” can sometimes be deliberate, or the result of misinformation or lack of awareness.
Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies have consistently upheld the country’s constitutional commitment to protecting human rights. In doing so, our security forces have made numerous sacrifices to ensure the safety and well-being of society. Yet, despite their dedication, these agencies are often unfairly accused of involvement in disappearances, with little or no evidence to support such claims. Additionally, a targeted social media campaign plays a key role in spreading misinformation, fueling misconceptions among the public.
The issue of missing persons is a global phenomenon, and Pakistan is no exception, with a variety of factors contributing to its increase. While human rights organizations often focus their attention on security forces, they frequently fail to consider the underlying causes or ground realities. Voluntary disappearances, which are sometimes mistaken for enforced disappearances, are not uncommon, with some individuals choosing to vanish without informing their families. Investigations have also uncovered cases where people intentionally go into hiding to avoid arrest by law enforcement agencies.
Moreover, identifying abandoned deceased individuals presents a significant challenge. According to detailed records from Edhi and Chippa, over 35,000 unclaimed bodies have been buried by these two NGOs across Pakistan since 2005. It’s important to make a distinction between cases of missing persons and enforced disappearances, as many individuals reported as missing are later found to be casualties of security operations during counterterrorism efforts. For example, in one instance, a terrorist named Karim Jan, initially listed as missing, was killed during an attack on the Gwadar Port Authority complex. His sister later formally requested his body. Similarly, the sister of terrorist Abdul Wadud Satakzai had been searching for her brother since August 12, 2021, only to discover his death in the Mach attack.
When compared internationally, the issue of missing persons is a significant global concern, affecting both developed and developing nations. For instance, the United States’ National Crime Information Center (NCIC) reported 521,705 missing persons cases in its 2021 publication. In the UK, the Missing Persons Unit (MPU) documented 241,064 cases in 2020/21.
Germany reported 11,000 missing persons in 2018, and India recorded 347,524 cases in 2018. In IIOJK, the Asian Federation against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) noted 8,000 missing persons cases from 1989 to 2012. Nepal also reported 10,418 missing persons cases in 2020/21. These figures highlight the widespread nature of missing persons cases and the ongoing difficulties countries face in addressing this issue.
In Pakistan, the government is actively working to locate missing persons, with the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CoIoED) continuing the efforts initiated by the Commission on Missing Persons, which was established in 2011 under the Ministry of Interior. As of March 2024, the Commission has recorded a total of 10,203 cases, of which 7,901 have been resolved. However, 2,302 cases remain unresolved. Despite the relatively low number of missing persons cases in Pakistan, both domestic and international actors have made concerted efforts to portray Pakistan as a country with a high incidence of missing persons.
There is concrete evidence that banned Baloch militant groups are recruiting Pakistani nationals for terrorist activities, offering substantial financial rewards to destabilize the country. In this context, figures like Dr. Mahrang Baloch and others are used to propagate false narratives and incite hatred against Pakistan.
Dr. Mahrang and her associates are attempting to manipulate public sentiment by presenting a distorted and misleading portrayal of the situation, further fueling propaganda against the state. Whenever the state and law enforcement agencies take action against terrorists, Mahrang Baloch and her few supporters quickly spread malicious narratives, accusing the government of human rights violations. It is striking how she raises her voice over missing persons but remains conspicuously silent when it comes to the victims of terrorist attacks.
It is clear that the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and its leaders are exploiting the issue of missing persons as a political tool, with little genuine concern for the real problems faced by the people of Balochistan. Mahrang Baloch’s silence in the face of innocent lives being lost is deeply shameful. The people of Pakistan, including those in Balochistan, see through the true intentions of these anti-state elements and fully support the decisive steps being taken by the government and the Pakistani military to combat terrorism.
