Alleged enforced disappearance of female student sparks protest in Quetta

Balochistan [Pakistan], April 23 (ANI): A female student of Bolan Medical College was allegedly forcibly disappeared after being taken into custody during a late-night raid on the girls' hostel, prompting widespread protests and condemnation, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
According to The Balochistan Post, Khadija Baloch, a seventh-semester BS Nursing student from Kech district's Hirronk area, was detained during the operation and shifted to an undisclosed location. Fellow students stated that since her detention, no official information has been shared regarding her whereabouts, raising serious concerns among the academic community.

Students claimed that personnel from Pakistan's Frontier Corps, Military Intelligence, and Counter Terrorism Department were involved in the raid. However, authorities have not issued any formal statement clarifying the circumstances of her detention.
Following the incident, students launched a sit-in protest outside the college, demanding Khadija's immediate and safe recovery. Demonstrators described the situation as deeply distressing, alleging that Baloch students are increasingly being targeted based on their identity.
A heavy police presence was later deployed at the protest site, intensifying fears of a possible crackdown.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) confirmed that Khadija was taken from her hostel and moved to an unknown location without any information being provided to her family. The group termed the case part of a broader pattern, stating, "This is not an exception. This is policy."
Similarly, the Baloch Women Forum (BWF) condemned the incident as a grave human rights violation, warning that educational institutions are becoming unsafe for Baloch women. The organisation expressed solidarity with protesting students and demanded her immediate release, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post.
PAANK, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), described the case as part of an ongoing pattern of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, urging authorities to disclose Khadija's location.
BNM chairperson Naseem Baloch called on the international community to intervene, citing what he described as systematic "collective punishment."
The incident coincides with a reported rise in disappearances across the region, including women such as Haseena Baloch, who remains missing after being detained earlier this month, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI)