QUETTA: Families of missing individuals rallied in Balochistan to demand the immediate recovery of their loved ones and an end to illegal detentions on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

Nasrullah Baloch, chairman of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, led the demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club.

He called on the government and relevant authorities to urgently locate forcibly disappeared persons, specifically highlighting the plight of Baloch women, to end the severe mental agony endured by their families.

Activists and families urged authorities to halt illegal custody and transition any suspects into the formal legal system.

“If anyone has committed a crime, they must be produced in court and given their right to due process under the law,” Mr Baloch said.

The demonstration drew significant participation from women and children, who carried banners and placards bearing slogans condemning enforced disappearances.

Speakers at the rally emphasised that the internationally recognised day serves as a stark reminder of an ongoing human rights crisis. They appealed to top officials to permanently end the practice of forced disappearances and provide long-awaited relief to the affected families.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2026