WHEN it comes to the troubling issue of enforced disappearances/ missing persons — either Baloch or belonging to other ethnic/ religious groups, or political parties out of favour with the powers that be — the state clings to the same tired script. It either denies the problem exists, or comes up with unconvincing alibis to explain what may have happened to the missing individuals. When the heirs of the missing come out on the streets, the state either ignores them, or unleashes its wrath on the protesters. The latter course was adopted when police clashed with supporters of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee in Quetta on Thursday. BYC supporters had been protesting in the provincial capital’s Sariab area for over a week, seeking the whereabouts of Zaheer Zeb Baloch and other missing persons. When their pleas failed to capture the state’s attention, the activists decided to march to the city’s Red Zone. They were met with tear gas and baton charges, while a number of them, including women, were arrested. BYC head Dr Mahrang Baloch said two of the injured people were in critical condition.

This unpleasant episode mirrors the ‘welcome’ Baloch marchers received upon their arrival in the federal capital in December last year; Islamabad Police meted out similarly brutal treatment to the demonstrators, among whom were women and children. Then too they were protesting for the same reasons. It is unfortunate that the state does not want to learn from these negative experiences. Firstly, as this paper has repeatedly said, if the state believes any individual has been involved in wrongdoing, they must be brought before a court of law, and their constitutionally guaranteed rights respected. Secondly, if the government continues to wield a big stick against peaceful protesters, instead of addressing their legitimate demands, the gulf between the rulers and the ruled will continue to widen, creating major obstacles in the path of national cohesion.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2024