Missing Prominent Baloch’s Niece Appeals to Global Community for Human Rights

Quetta:Banri Baloch, the niece of the missing prominent Baloch activist, Mumtaz Baloch, has made an emotional appeal to the international community, urging them to raise their voices for the protection of Baloch people’s human rights.

In her statement, Banri Baloch revealed that her uncle, Mumtaz Baloch, was forcibly abducted from Khuzdar on September 6, 2022. She described this as the third time that he had been separated from their family and that, to this day, he remains missing. “Our family has been enduring the torment of this separation constantly. My grandmother, who was Mumtaz’s mother, could not bear the pain of her son’s disappearance and passed away. Her final words were a prayer for his release: ‘My son is innocent, bring him back.’ She passed away calling for her son, but no one was there to hear her cries,” Banri Baloch shared with deep sorrow.

She expressed that their home has become a place of mourning, and the emotional weight they carry is beyond words. “We ask the champions of human rights, are we not human? Does no one see our pain and suffering? Are our mothers, sisters, and children not human? How long will we, and our mothers, continue to suffer in silence, hoping for the return of our loved ones?” Banri continued.

With December 10 being celebrated as International Human Rights Day, she appealed for attention to be drawn to the human rights violations in Balochistan. “We ask that on this day, the international community raise their voices against the violation of human rights in Balochistan. We can no longer endure this agony, and we demand the safe return of our loved ones. Become the voice of thousands of voiceless families like ours. Raise your voice for the recovery of all forcibly disappeared persons, including my uncle Mumtaz Baloch,” she urged.

Banri concluded her appeal by stating that this is the time for the world to hear their cries and recognize their rights. “It is time for the world to listen to our screams and acknowledge our rights,” she emphasized.