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The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) on Friday hosted a special webinar to mark the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances, bringing together voices from Sindh, Balochistan, Crimean Tatar, Iranian Kurdistan, and Uyghur communities.
The discussion focused on how accountability, memory, and international recognition can advance justice for unrepresented peoples suffering from systemic repression. Speaking at the event, prominent Baloch activist Sabia Baloch delivered a testimony about the decades-long crisis of enforced disappearances in Balochistan. She described the practice as the "biggest problem" confronting her people, stressing that Pakistan's security forces continue to silence dissent under the guise of counterinsurgency operations. "Balochistan makes up 42 per cent of Pakistan's land area and is rich in minerals and resources. Yet its people are among the most oppressed. Those who speak against injustices are abducted, tortured, or killed," Sabia said. She recalled the first known cases from the 1970s, pointing to the disappearance of political figures such as Asad Mengal and Dilip Das, and stressed that the pattern has only intensified. According to her, at least 1,054 cases of enforced disappearances have been documented in just the first eight months of 2025--a figure she called "the tip of the iceberg", given restrictions on access and reporting. Sabia painted a grim picture of Quetta's so-called "graveyard of the unknown", where mutilated and unrecognisable bodies are buried anonymously. "Some victims are found with melted plastic on their bodies, cut tongues, and dozens of bullets in their chests. Families live in perpetual agony, waiting for justice or even a trace of their loved ones," she said. Sharing her own ordeal, Sabia revealed that her father and brother were abducted due to her activism, while many of her colleagues remain imprisoned. Despite such intimidation, she emphasised that protests and resistance remain alive across Balochistan--even on religious festivals, when families gather to demand the return of their missing relatives. She urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable to its commitments under international treaties and to prevent multinational companies from exploiting Balochistan's resources while its people are subjected to grave human rights violations. "Without pressure and sanctions, we will continue to die silently," she warned. The webinar concluded with calls for global solidarity with unrepresented communities facing enforced disappearances and for urgent international action to end impunity. (ANI)
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