Protests Erupt at University of Peshawar Over Missing Students Amid Rising Disappearances in Balochistan
Student Protests at University of Peshawar
In Islamabad, student groups have been actively protesting at the University of Peshawar, demanding the return of two missing students, as reported by local media on Thursday.
The demonstrations, spearheaded by the Waziristan Students’ Society, involved visits to various university departments where they urged fellow students to boycott classes. Their actions also led to the closure of Madina Market, a coffee shop, and several restaurants on campus, according to a prominent daily.
The protesters are calling for the immediate recovery of Khubaib Wazir, a third-semester student from the International Relations Department, and Adnan Wazir, a fifth-semester student from the Political Science Department. The student organization claims that both individuals were abducted by unidentified individuals while returning to campus after attending a Grand Jirga organized by the provincial government on November 12.
On December 12, a notable human rights organization reported that a Baloch student had been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani authorities in Balochistan, highlighting a troubling trend of enforced disappearances in the region.
According to Paank, the Human Rights Department of the Baloch National Movement, Noor Bakhsh, a student from Killi Qambrani in Quetta, was taken from his home by the Counter Terrorism Department on December 7.
The organization pointed out that at least three Baloch civilians, including two students, have recently been victims of enforced disappearances by the CTD in Quetta.
Paank also noted that on December 6, Aftab Baloch, another student, was abducted by the CTD, and on December 7, Ibrar Qambrani and a laborer named Ali Dost Qambrani were similarly taken from their homes.
On December 4, multiple human rights organizations and activists condemned the enforced disappearance of Balach Khan Bali, a lecturer, by Pakistani forces in Balochistan.
Local sources indicate that Balach Khan Bali, 36, was abducted by Pakistan Army personnel on December 3 while returning home from the main market in Turbat city, Kech district.
Balach, a Computer Science lecturer at the University of Turbat, is recognized for his dedication to education and his students. His disappearance has caused significant distress among his family, colleagues, and the academic community, according to Paank.
The Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) condemned this incident as part of a broader pattern of enforced disappearances in Balochistan.
The rights organization has called for human rights groups to investigate Balach's case, demand transparency, and advocate for his immediate release, emphasizing the need for credible investigations into the actions of Pakistani security forces in Balochistan.