June 30, 2025
By Nadeem Khan
QUETTA
After months of desperately waiting for the return of their eight year old son, Musawir, who had gone missing in November last year, grief has now rained down upon the family after the child’s body was discovered from a remote area of Mastung.
The discovery of 12-year-old Musawir Kakar’s body, has once again highlighted the deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan. In 2024 alone, at least 26 cases of child abduction were reported across the province, with many families still waiting for justice.
The situation has sparked widespread grief and anger across the province. Many see this case as a symbol of rising insecurity, police inaction, and political apathy, especially regarding crimes against children.
Musawir’s uncle, Sardad Naseem Khan Miryani, complained about the bias in the system. “It is only when a minister’s own child is abducted will they truly understand the pain families go through,” he lamented. “The Balochistan government has completely failed to protect its people.”
When Musawir was kidnapped from Quetta, his family staged a 12-day protest, demanding swift action from the authorities. The sit-in ended when the Chief Minister promised that the child would be recovered within 10 to 15 days. That promise was never fulfilled.
According to Musawir’s cousin, Muhammad Ajmal, the family attended court hearings and held several meetings with officials, but nothing came of it. “After months of waiting, we only received his body, which was in an unrecognizable condition.”
The child’s funeral in Quetta’s hockey ground was attended by a large number of people, including political workers, civil society representatives, and residents of the area. The streets were filled with sorrow and rage.
The Hockey Ground, where Musawir was last seen, has now become a symbol of loss and collective mourning.
Meanwhile, the National Party has strongly condemned the recovery of Musawir Kakar’s body, calling it a ‘horrific act of cruelty and a sign of the state’s failure’. Central Secretary of Information Ali Ahmed Langove said that the National party had been part of the protest from the beginning and termed the incident as “barbaric.”
“Despite the government’s assurance, the child was taken from his mother,”
Government’s defense
But Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Aitzaz Goraya said law enforcement made every possible effort to rescue the child. He claimed that the Islamic State (Daesh) was behind the abduction, not ordinary criminals.
“We did everything we could,” DIG Goraya said. “But failing to recover the child alive is our failure.”
According to the police, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of 12 million dollars. Several facilitators were arrested during the investigation. One was an arms’ supplier arrested from the Gulshan area in Balochistan, while another was traced through a Wi-Fi connection used at a shop in Quetta. Goraya added that multiple suspects have been interrogated, and some parts of the investigation are still ongoing.
“We will share further details once the case is officially closed,” he said.
Despite these claims, Musawir Kakar’s family continues to ask, what would it have taken for them, to have received their child alive and safe?