In a significant escalation of international human rights concerns, the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) has urgently demanded the immediate Baloch students’ release after their alleged abduction by Pakistani security forces more than two weeks ago. The students, Mahjabeen Baloch, a Library Science major at the University of Balochistan, and her brother Muhammad Younus Baloch, an engineering student at Khuzdar University, have been missing since late May.
The Baloch students’ release campaign has triggered widespread condemnation from civil society groups and international human rights organisations. According to The Balochistan Post, VBMP Chairman Nasrullah Baloch declared their detention as “illegal, unconstitutional, and a grave violation of human rights.” He pointed out that Mahjabeen, a polio survivor with a disability, was forcibly taken from Quetta Civil Hospital where she had been temporarily living due to housing unavailability, during a raid involving police, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), and other security officials.
Her brother, Muhammad Younus Baloch, was abducted just five days earlier during a late-night raid at their home in Basima. Since then, there has been no formal notification, no judicial proceedings, and no update on their whereabouts, fueling calls for the Baloch students’ release from several quarters.
Legal Rights and Human Dignity Under Threat
The Baloch students’ release issue underscores deeper systemic problems of enforced disappearances in Pakistan. VBMP emphasized that if there are any legitimate allegations against Mahjabeen or Younus, they should be tried in a court of law rather than detained without legal recourse. “This approach blatantly violates both domestic and international human rights laws,” Nasrullah Baloch stressed.
VBMP has vowed to persist with peaceful protests, social media campaigns, and legal efforts to secure the Baloch students’ release. “Remaining silent is equivalent to complicity,” said Nasrullah. “This is not just about one family, it’s about justice for an entire community.”
International Reaction and Solidarity
The enforced disappearances have received strong condemnation from organisations such as the Baloch Women Forum (BWF) and Amnesty International. BWF described Mahjabeen’s abduction as part of a systematic campaign of state violence targeting Baloch women, while Amnesty labelled it an attack on academic freedom and highlighted the “culture of impunity” in such cases.
Amnesty International also issued an urgent appeal to the Pakistani authorities, calling for a “prompt, thorough, and effective investigation” into the case, public disclosure of the students’ whereabouts, and their unconditional release.
In an official statement, Amnesty stated: “The practice of enforced disappearances directly contradicts Pakistan’s commitments under international law and must end immediately. The Baloch students’ release is not a request, it’s a legal and moral obligation.”
Public Mobilisation and Call to Action
Public mobilisation around the Baloch students’ release has been growing rapidly. Social media campaigns with hashtags like #ReleaseMahjabeen and #WhereIsYounus are trending across platforms, with human rights activists and students joining in solidarity.
The Baloch National Movement’s human rights division, Paank, also issued a warning that such actions not only destroy the educational futures of individuals but also discourage academic engagement among Baloch youth, fearing persecution.
With no clear timeline and the Pakistani state offering no clarity on the siblings’ fate, VBMP and other rights groups continue to push for the Baloch students’ release, demanding justice, transparency, and an end to illegal detentions.
Source | ANI
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