اردوEnglish

Baloch Missing Persons: A Miasma of Half-Truths and False Allegations

 The issue of missing persons in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, has become a contentious topic, often framed as a serious human rights violation and an anti-state narrative. The complexity of this issue lies in the diverse circumstances under which individuals go missing and the subsequent framing of their disappearances. Missing persons in Pakistan can generally be categorized into three groups. The first group comprises those who have taken up arms against the state and live in remote, and undisclosed locations. The second group includes individuals who leave their homes due to personal reasons or to seek employment but never return or contact their families. The third group comprises those apprehended by the state on charges of insurgency.

“Most missing persons in Pakistan are those who voluntarily leave their homes to join militant outfits and either die in terrorist activities or sever all links with their families, resurfacing later as casualties or accomplices in crimes or incidents of terrorism. A significant number also migrate illegally as economic migrants.”

The issue of missing persons is not unique to Pakistan. A comparative analysis reveals that Pakistan’s documented missing persons are significantly lower than that of other democracies, such as Germany, India, Sri Lanka, the UK, and the US. Despite this, the narrative around missing persons in Pakistan is clouded by speculation and accusations, obscuring the truth. Most missing persons in Pakistan are those who voluntarily leave their homes to join militant outfits and either die in terrorist activities or sever all links with their families, resurfacing later as casualties or accomplices in crimes or incidents of terrorism. A significant number also migrate illegally as economic migrants. The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (CoIoED) has registered 10,143 cases by January 2024, resolving 7,832 of them, with a success rate of 77%. Regarding the missing persons in Balochistan, out of 2,772 registered cases, only 475 remain unresolved.

Terrorist groups like BLA, BLF, BRA, and TTP exploit underprivileged Baloch youths, taking advantage of their vulnerabilities and deceiving them with false promises. These groups use poverty, unemployment, and widespread frustration to recruit individuals. By labelling such terrorists as victims of enforced disappearances, their sympathizers attempt to defame the state at national and international levels. Cases like Saleem Baloch, who was killed in a counter-terrorism operation, and Karim Jan, involved in the Gwadar Port Authority Complex attack, illustrate how terrorists are often falsely claimed to be missing persons. The deaths of BLF militants on Iranian soil in Pakistani retaliatory strikes prove that many of the missing persons were not missing but were operating a terrorist network from foreign soil. Furthermore, the Caretaker Balochistan Information Minister Jan Achakzai revealed that many individuals labelled as ‘missing’ were killed as terrorists in ‘Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar’. Other cases, like the missing person found during a failed border crossing attempt, and statements from recently arrested terrorists like Nasrullah (Maulvi Mansoor), who confirmed that many missing individuals were in Afghanistan, operating freely as terrorists, show the transnational complexities of this issue.

“While genuine cases of enforced disappearances must be urgently and transparently addressed, it is crucial to differentiate between those who are truly missing and those who exploit this issue for nefarious purposes.”

The issue of missing persons in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, is a complex narrative mired in half-truths and false allegations. While genuine cases of enforced disappearances must be urgently and transparently addressed, it is crucial to differentiate between those who are truly missing and those who exploit this issue for nefarious purposes. By publicizing the truth related to missing persons, the propaganda of terrorists and their sympathizers can be exposed.