ISLAMABAD – Several families from Balochitan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of country on Wednesday staged a protest against the alleged enforced disappearance of their loved ones, demanding the government to ensure immediate recovery of the missing persons.
The demonstration was held as International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances was marked today (August 30) across the globe.
????????#BREAKING: Missing persons families from #Balochistan to #KP and across #Pakistan in a protest camp in #Islamabad demanding safe and immediate release of their loved ones. Defence for human rights chairperson @AminaMJanjua and senior journalist @HamidMirPAK part of the camp. pic.twitter.com/9eD5LfXzip
— Asad Ali Toor (@AsadAToor) August 30, 2023
The United Nations in a statement said, “Enforced disappearance has frequently been used as a strategy to spread terror within the society. The feeling of insecurity generated by this practice is not limited to the close relatives of the disappeared, but also affects their communities and society as a whole”.
It added that enforced disappearance has become a global problem and is not restricted to a specific region of the world.
The Pakistan’s Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances said the total number of missing persons in the country stands at 2,210, but the members of the civil society and human rights organisations said it was far high.
The protest was held outside the Islamabad Press Club where journalist and other known personalities joined the aggrieved families.
Renowned journalist Hamid Mir also joined the protest where he showed solidarity with the families and urged the government to ensure the immediate and safe return of their relatives.
Pakistani senior journalist @HamidMirPAK having a meeting with Baloch protesters in #Islamabad press club where the sister of forcibly disappeared Asif&Rasheed @sairabaluch_ is holding a protest camp for 3 days . https://t.co/r8PWBXb3kK
— Noor _A _Bux (@Noor_baloch94) August 30, 2023
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General in his statement said enforced disappearance is a serious human rights violation that has frequently been used to spread terror.
Enforced disappearance is a serious human rights violation that has frequently been used to spread terror.
This International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, I call on countries to help put an end to this atrocious crime.https://t.co/kR5JYXrBTv
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 30, 2023
“This International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, I call on countries to help put an end to this atrocious crime,” he said on social media platform X.
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