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The Baloch National Movement (BNM) has denounced the alleged enforced disappearance of Shafiq Zehri, father of Baloch activist Mahzaib Shafiq, describing the incident as part of a broader pattern of collective punishment aimed at families in Balochistan who seek justice for their missing loved ones, The Balochistan Post reported on Saturday.
The Balochistan Post reported that in a media statement, BNM Chairman Naseem Baloch said Mahzaib Shafiq has become "another victim of Pakistan's state policies" due to her peaceful and lawful efforts to seek the recovery of her uncle, Rashid Hussain. Instead of addressing the family's demands, Naseem alleged that security forces intensified their actions by abducting her father and subjecting him to enforced disappearance. As cited by The Balochistan Post, Naseem emphasised that the case was not an isolated incident but part of what he described as a systematic approach in which state institutions target entire families to suppress dissent and silence demands for justice. He stated that families who speak out for their missing relatives are often met with further repression rather than legal solutions. The Balochistan Post further quoted the BNM chairman as saying that Mahzaib Shafiq's struggle reflects the broader reality faced by many Baloch women, who are compelled to become the primary voices for their families amid enforced disappearances, threats, and alleged state violence. According to the report, Naseem said that instead of responding to appeals for the safe release of Rashid Hussain, authorities allegedly chose to retaliate by forcibly disappearing Mahzaib's father. He described the disappearance of Shafiq Zehri as a violation of international human rights law and claimed it highlighted the use of collective punishment as a policy in Balochistan. The Balochistan Post reported that Naseem concluded by warning that the incident underscores a harsh reality in Balochistan, where even peaceful demands for justice can place entire families at risk. (ANI)
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