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The Baloch Women Forum (BWF) has strongly condemned the alleged forcible disappearance of Shaista Baloch, a Baloch woman with a serious cardiac condition, following a raid by Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) officials and plainclothes personnel at her family residence in Gwadar, according to a statement issued by the forum on X.
In its statement, BWF's Central Spokesperson said security personnel raided Shaista's family home on two consecutive nights. During the first raid, personnel allegedly ransacked the house, damaged household belongings and seized the family's mobile phones. The following night, plainclothes personnel accompanied by CTD officials reportedly raided the residence again and forcibly took Shaista away. Her whereabouts have remained unknown since the incident, the forum claimed. BWF expressed serious concern over Shaista's medical condition, stating that she had previously undergone heart surgery and required regular medication, continuous treatment and medical supervision. The forum warned that her disappearance without access to essential medical care posed a grave threat to her life. The statement further highlighted the family's history of alleged harassment and violations, saying that Shaista's brother, Ali Asghar, had remained forcibly disappeared since April 16. It also claimed that the family's house was demolished on July 6, leaving their elderly mother displaced and dependent on relatives for shelter. According to BWF, with both her children missing and her home demolished, the elderly mother has been left facing uncertainty over their whereabouts while struggling with the loss of her residence. The forum alleged that repeated raids, the seizure of personal belongings, the disappearance of family members and the destruction of their home had deprived the family of any sense of security. Raising concerns over what it described as an escalating pattern of abductions of Baloch women, BWF said women were increasingly being targeted in their homes, educational institutions and everyday lives. The statement cited the cases of Mahjabeen Baloch, Nasreena Baloch and Habiba Peerjan, along with several other Baloch women, alleging that their disappearances reflected a wider pattern of repression in Balochistan. Describing these incidents as part of what it termed a broader system of colonial domination, the forum alleged that coercion, collective punishment and violations of civilian rights were being used to exert pressure on the Baloch population. BWF demanded the immediate disclosure of the whereabouts of Shaista Baloch and Ali Asghar, along with their safe and unconditional release. It also called for urgent medical attention for Shaista, uninterrupted access to her cardiac medication and an independent medical examination. The forum further sought an impartial investigation into both alleged raids, the seizure of mobile phones, damage to household belongings and the demolition of the family home. It called for accountability for those responsible and protection for the elderly mother against further harassment and intimidation. Reiterating its opposition to the targeting of Baloch women, BWF said the cases of disappeared women represented families left to endure prolonged uncertainty and suffering. The organisation called for an immediate end to the alleged targeting of Baloch women, the safe recovery of all disappeared persons and accountability for those responsible. (ANI)
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