A prominent Baloch rights activist and the media coordinator of Baloch National Movement (BNM), Jamal Baloch on Monday strongly condemned the alleged propaganda being run by the Pakistani media against the enforced disappearances in the country.
Jamal stated that this campaign was intended to influence public opinion towards believing that the issue of enforced disappearances faced by the Baloch community in Pakistan is fake.
In a video message shared on X, Jamal said, “this is being done by basing the entire argument on just one case of an enforceably disappeared Karim Jan.”
We strongly condemn the state-sponsored propaganda aimed at manipulating the issue of enforced disappearances in #Balochistan. The case of Karim Jan Baloch is being manipulated to propagate against the issue of enforced disappearances. Karim Jan was abducted by Pakistani… pic.twitter.com/ApIlvx58hQ
— Paank (@paank_bnm) March 25, 2024
In his statement on X Jamal Baloch stated, “The case of Karim Jan Baloch is being manipulated to propagate against the issue of enforced disappearances. Karim Jan was abducted by Pakistani intelligence agencies on May 23, 2022, Karim Jan’s family bravely protested his disappearance. After enduring two months of disappearance, he was unjustly accused of possessing explosives by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on July 31, 2022. However, due to the insufficient evidence, the court rightfully acquitted him of all false charges. Karim Jan was released on August 17, 2022, on the orders of Abdul Waheed Badini, the Special Judge, ATC at Gwadar”.
Jamal Baloch urged the Pakistani journalist community to stand by the truth and said that the issue is very serious.
“The issue of enforced disappearance in Balochistan is very severe today, and it is important that the media today become the voice of the oppressed and not become a toy in the hands of the Pakistani state. Journalists need to find actual evidence and investigate to unearth the issue of enforced disappearances,” he said.
Jamal Baloch who has been a victim of enforced disappearances himself, mentioned that “the victims of enforced disappearances struggle everyday. We cannot even imagine what the families of these people go through. These families often come out on the roads and protest to get their loved ones back.”
He added, “They sometimes even beg the army to either return them or bring them to court. But more often than not these protestors and family members are beaten, suppressed, forced, and even arrested to give up their protest. Media must stop the manipulation of this matter and bring the pieces of evidence to light for resolving this matter.
