December 26, 2025
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE: Protesters continue blocking the CPEC Highway in the Tajban area of Kech district for a fourth consecutive day, demanding the recovery of four family members who allegedly disappeared after being detained at a security checkpoint.
The sit-in began after Kech residents Hani Dilwash and Hair Nisa Wahid were reportedly taken into custody at Hub Chowki on December 20, along with two male relatives, Mujahid Dilwash and Fareed Ijaz. Their families and supporters have vowed to keep the strategic highway closed until the four are safely returned.
“We have been sitting on the highway for the last three days, but our family members have not been recovered so far,” protesters said. “We have no information about their whereabouts.”
The demonstration has drawn attention to what human rights advocates describe as an alarming pattern of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, particularly involving women.
Munizae Jahangir, a journalist and co-chair of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), highlighted the severity of the situation. “Enforced disappearance is a major issue and a serious crime in Pakistan as well as internationally,” she said. “Recently, the disappearances of women in Balochistan have become alarming. A 27-year-old pregnant woman and a 17-year-old girl have reportedly become victims of enforced disappearance.”
Jahangir emphasized the broader impact on communities. “When someone becomes a victim of enforced disappearance, it not only places their family under immense distress but also creates resentment and mistrust among the people of Balochistan toward the state,” she said.
She added that legal mechanisms exist to address suspected wrongdoing. “Pakistan already has a judicial system, a constitution, and a police force. If someone is suspected of wrongdoing, the state has the right to arrest them through legal means. Acts of enforced disappearance are condemnable, as they are not only violations of Pakistan’s Constitution but also violations of international human rights.”
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee issued a statement describing the harsh conditions protesters face. “In the coldest winter weather, families continue their protest, sitting on the road with patience, pain, and dignity,” the organization said. “Their demand is simple and human: End enforced disappearances.”
The statement criticized the government’s response. “Despite the passing days, the government has offered no response, no clarification, no accountability. Silence has replaced responsibility.”
Protesters also expressed concern about accusations circulating on social media against the missing individuals. “Serious accusations are being leveled against the missing family members on social media,” they said, though they provided no details about the nature of these claims.
Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Hanif Kabzai, along with local elders, attempted negotiations with the demonstrators to reopen the highway, but protesters refused. They maintain that only the safe recovery of their relatives will end the blockade.
As the standoff continues, the blocked CPEC Highway remains a focal point for growing tensions over enforced disappearances in Balochistan.