Young Activist Campaigning For Disappeared Father Himself Goes Missing

Ali Haidar Baloch, a young boy who is known for participation in protests seeking return of missing persons, including his own father, has reportedly gone missing. At the age of 11, he participated in the Long March held by Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) along with activist Mama Qadeer, against enforced disappearances in 2013.

Activists and journalists have condemned the abduction of the 17 year old.

https://twitter.com/GulBukhari/status/1141649394225360897

https://twitter.com/umairjav/status/1141639417469308928

 

https://twitter.com/ammaralijan/status/1141621291709009920

https://twitter.com/HamidMirPAK/status/1141404153639505920

Ali Haidar's father has been missing since 2010, and now there are concerns that the same fate has befallen his son. Enforced disappearances are known to be common in the province of Balochistan, but isn't exclusive to the province. In 2017, several bloggers from mainland Pakistan were abducted and later released after widespread outcry against the abductions.

Over 2,000 registered cases remain unresolved. In January 2019 Pakistan's Ministry of Human Rights submitted a draft bill to the Ministry of Law and Justice to criminalize enforced disappearances, however whether substantial progress is made remains to be seen.