Balochistan’s Missing Persons, Facts vs Propaganda

Balochistan’s Missing Persons, Facts vs Propaganda

The history of the missing persons in Balochistan is another theme that has been revisiting in international media, human rights movements, and social media activism over the years. It is described as a sign of the state repression and the security forces of Pakistan. However, these forces are suspected of so called enforced disappearances. Yet, going beyond the slogans and the outcry of social media, it is to analyze a whole new image. An image that is not based on facts, but rests on manipulations and propaganda.

The Myth of Enforced Disappearances

There have been claims of thousands of missing persons since more than a decade ago. But still there is no proper record or proven evidence to support them. Most charges are by politically oriented activists and groups that are known to be affiliated with the outlawed organizations. The courts and commissions of Pakistan have sought verifiable lists or evidence to these so called disappearances. Yet the numbers continue to decrease, and the cases are seldom found to be of any good in legal scrutiny.

Furthermore, this trend implies that the problem of so called missing persons is not related to any issue of human rights, it is just a political weapon.

It is aimed at politically discrediting the law enforcement agencies, undermining the state, and exerting international pressure. Thus, it will work in favor of the forces waging an international proxy war against Pakistan.

Advantages of Students and Academia

An example of the extent to which this manipulation goes on is seen in the case of Prof. Dr. Usman Qazi of BUITEMS. His arrest revealed a group that was functioning under the pretext of academia with students being exploited. It is also recruited into subversive groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Fitna Al Hindustan. It is a prototype of other conflict zones, targeting the youth and brainwashing them with false promises of freedom. They are then pushed into violence, only to end up missing once they fall into the grip of insurgent networks.

The Truth of Missing Students

Several high profile cases have shown the way this propaganda works. Sufyan Kurd was a former UMT Lahore student, who went on to be a BLA commander. On the contrary, Mahl Baloch is a law student at Turbat University who became a suicide bomber. They both were missing persons and praised by the BLA as martyrs when they were killed during terrorist activities. In short, this conflict is hypocritical.

The same people who were previously referred to as victims of forced disappearances are now designated as a terrorist group by US.

Therefore, this reveals the actual motive of the missing person’s story, which is to protect militants, distort the truth, and undermine the war on terror.

Propaganda, Fake Publicity, and Foreign Interests

Yet it has now become a common trend. Whenever security agencies destroy militant groups, such groups mount protests that they have been dispatched to disappear again. Most of these protests are funded by the foreigners. Also, they are organized by individuals who have never set footsteps in Balochistan. The Baloch National Movement (BNM) and similar groups regularly organize demonstrations in other countries. They often hire paid participants to hold chant slogans they barely understand.

The Ground Reality of Balochistan

While this propaganda persists, Balochistan is changing fast. The areas which used to be distant are being linked through universities, roads, and development projects. The young people of the province are moving to civil services, technology, as well as military, creating their own futures rather than serving as the chess pieces of another.

Similarly, the population of Balochistan becomes more disillusioned with the politics of lies and bloodshed. They have witnessed the comfort of militant leaders who are comfortably living in other countries at the expense of their cause, which is the Baloch common families. The development, despite being slow, is evidence that the majority of citizens desire peace and education, rather than endless victimhood slogans.

Therefore, the myth of missing persons in Balochistan has been fueled by misinformation, selective outrage, and foreign influence. Many of those claimed to be missing have joined outlawed groups or fled to avoid prosecution. This propaganda serves terrorists, not ordinary Baloch citizens. Today, Balochistan stands on a path of strength, education, and development. Those who built their politics on lies and violence are slowly fading into irrelevance.