Baloch activist announces social media campaign demanding safe return of victims of enforced disappearance

In a video statement issued on Thursday, he said that Baloch rights organisation, Baloch Voice for Justice, will launch a campaign demanding the safe return of Salman, Asif and Rashid, who are among the forcibly disappeared Baloch individuals.

Youth activist Sadaf Amir Baloch also highlighted that the national media of Pakistan is boycotting and sidelining a serious issue that needs attention.

In a post on X, Sadaf Amir Baloch also announced the launch of a social media campaign demanding the safe release of social activists Salman, Asif and Rasheed.

Sadaf, who herself has been a victim of enforced disappearance, said her father was enforced disappearance from Kulanch by the Pakistani Army on August 4, and the mainstream media never paid any attention to it.

Baloch Voice for Justice will launch a campaign on May 24 for the recovery of Salman Asif and Rashid. I appeal to all friends to participate in this campaign and hashtag #ReleaseSalmanAsifRasheed Use .
Date: May 24, 2024
Timings: 7am to 12pm pic.twitter.com/AAqXovDJiC

— Sadaf Ameer Baloch (@sadafAmeerBaloc) 23 May 2024

Sadaf said, “Pakistan's mainstream media has blacked out the issue of enforced disappearances in the country. Currently, not only Balochistan but the whole country is facing the same problem of enforced disappearances. Thousands of people have gone missing and their whereabouts are unknown, but the mainstream media and MPs are not concerned about this issue at all. If an MP's purse is lost, the whole system gets activated. But the serious issue of enforced disappearances is always treated as nothing more than a joke.”

Sadaf further said, “I and my family have been raising our voices repeatedly for the safe return of my father Amir Baksh but no one pays heed to our demands. The issue of enforced disappearance is a humanitarian issue and it particularly affects the Baloch community of Balochistan. Every household in Balochistan suffers from the same problem of enforced disappearance.”

Sadaf also mentioned the suffering of other families and said, “Two girls of my age Saira and Sadia are also suffering because three members of their family have been forcibly disappeared. Rashid and Asif have been missing for the last six years and Salman has been forcibly disappeared for one and a half years, but the administration is wasting time and no serious action is being taken on this case.”

He further demanded that the general public should unite and participate in helping the families of those forcibly disappeared.