Former Balochistan Government Spokesperson Criticizes Political Use of Kidnapping Cases in Quetta

Quetta:Former spokesperson for the Balochistan government, Jan Achakzai, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to voice his concerns over the political exploitation of the kidnapping case of artist Musawar Khan Kakar. Achakzai stated that while the government is responsible for ensuring Kakar’s safe recovery, certain political elements have started using his abduction to gain political mileage.

He pointed out that the kidnapping of individuals from areas like Hernaai and Shaiban had gone largely unnoticed, with no one raising their voice for the victims. “Six months have passed since people were abducted from Shaiban, but no one has protested, no roads have been blocked, and no one has shown concern. This is the treatment that non-Pashtuns and non-Baloch people receive in Balochistan,” Achakzai remarked.

He further criticized the disparity in response, stating that while the entire city is held hostage for the kidnapping of one child, the kidnappings of other people, especially from minority communities, receive little to no attention. “For one child, the whole city is shut down, but when it comes to children abducted from Shaiban, no one seems to care,” he added.

Achakzai’s comments have sparked a debate about the selective activism in Balochistan, where certain cases garner widespread attention while others are seemingly ignored, often based on the ethnic and political affiliations of the victims.