Dec 22, 2025
Asad Mumtaz
KARACHI
The literary festival “Bikhar Na Jaye Hum”, organized by Kitab Ghar in Karachi, was not merely a literary gathering it emerged as a serious and meaningful dialogue within society. During the festival, the documentary film “Stop the Baloch Genocide”, focusing on the human rights situation in Balochistan, was screened, confronting the audience with deeply unsettling questions and painful realities.
The documentary narrates the story of a long march organized two years ago by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), which began in Panjgur, moved to Quetta, and then continued from Quetta to Islamabad. The march aimed to highlight the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan and to raise a collective voice for the recovery of missing persons. The film powerfully documents state violence, collective fear, and the decades-long struggle of the Baloch people.
Following the screening, an important panel discussion was held, featuring Dr. Sammi Deen Baloch and sociology researcher Professor Nida Kirmani. The discussion centered on the role of women in the Baloch movement a dimension that has become a new and significant example of resistance politics not only in Balochistan but across South Asia.
The panel emphasized that Baloch women are no longer merely victims; they are now leading protest movements. Whether it is long marches against enforced disappearances or sit-ins for human rights, Baloch women have emerged as a politically conscious, organized, and determined force. Their struggle is not only for their missing loved ones but also against a social order rooted in patriarchy, repression, and silence.
Nida Kirmani highlighted that the political participation of Baloch women has become a serious challenge not only to a patriarchal society but also to the state narrative. Meanwhile, according to human rights activist Aliya Suhail, this movement stands as an important example of women’s resistance in South Asia one that cannot be ignored.
The literary festival “Bikhar Na Jaye Hum” ultimately served as a reminder that literature, documentary film, and dialogue, when combined, can become a powerful force capable of breaking silences. The story of Balochistan especially the struggle of Baloch women is no longer confined to the margins; it is a voice that demands to be heard, understood, and acknowledged.