Amnesty International Calls for Action on Disappearing Baloch Students in Pakistan

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International raises alarms over the disappearance of Baloch students in Pakistan, urging swift action. Highlighted individuals include Mahjabeen Baloch and her brother Younas. These disappearances, often linked to security forces, occur amid allegations of systemic oppression under anti-terrorism laws, violating international human rights norms.

Amnesty International, a prominent human rights organization, has sounded alarms over a disturbing trend of missing Baloch students in Balochistan and other regions across Pakistan. One high-profile case is that of Mahjabeen Baloch, a University of Balochistan student, who disappeared on May 29, 2025. Her brother, Younas Baloch, also vanished earlier on May 24 after being taken by security forces, according to a social media post.

The crackdown on Baloch students intensified after rallies in Quetta resulted in arrests, including that of activist Mahrang Baloch. Other students like Javid Musafir Baloch from Karachi University and Guhram Ishaq from Quetta have also gone missing under similar circumstances. Amnesty International has called on Pakistani authorities to investigate these forced disappearances urgently and bring those responsible to justice, as these actions violate Pakistan's international human rights obligations.

Baloch leaders have criticized the disappearance cases, particularly that of Mahjabeen Baloch, who was reportedly captured during an operation involving police and Counter-Terrorism Department troops. The Baloch population endures systemic oppression under laws such as the Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows arbitrary arrests and detentions without trial. These laws provide security forces with extensive powers and legal immunity, fostering a climate of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, perpetuating the ongoing cycle of abuse against the Baloch community.

(With inputs from agencies.)