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A demonstration took place outside the Quetta Press Club on Sunday, calling for the swift recovery of Ghani Baloch, who reportedly went missing due to abduction two months ago near Khuzdar, as per a report from The Balochistan Post (TBP).
His family claims that Ghani Baloch was taken into custody by Pakistani security forces on May 25. Since that date, they have experienced "no sign of our family's guiding light," expressing their feelings of "heartbreak, grief, and helplessness." The protest was organised by Ghani Baloch's family and was joined by members of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), the National Democratic Party (NDP), and family members of other individuals who have similarly gone missing, as noted in the TBP report. The family explained that following Ghani's disappearance, they tried to file a First Information Report (FIR) at the Khuzdar police station on 27 May. However, they allege that the Station House Officer (SHO) "refused to file the complaint" and "did not accept the submitted written application." The following day, they sought assistance from the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) but were met with "no cooperation." Since then, petitions have been lodged with both the Balochistan High Court and the Khuzdar Sessions Court. However, "no FIR has been registered, nor has any meaningful legal action been taken." The National Democratic Party stated that the forced disappearance of Ghani Baloch, a politically aware youth and party member, signifies an ongoing effort by the state to "stifle Baloch political awareness." The party asserted that such disappearances convey "a message that peaceful political activism by the Baloch people is unacceptable," as highlighted in the TBP report. Leaders of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons also condemned the situation, claiming that "instead of putting an end to enforced disappearances, the government is penalising peaceful activists for their protests." The protest concluded with a collective demand for the immediate release of Ghani Baloch and all other individuals who are missing, alongside a call to end the practice of enforced disappearances in the area, as stated by TBP. (ANI)
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