No more forced disappearances after February 1, CM Bugti promises

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Tuesday said there will be no more enforced disappearances by the State or the Government after February 1.

The Chief Minister made these remarks while presiding over the 22nd provincial cabinet meeting at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Quetta. The session addressed several key administrative, legal, social, educational and developmental issues, including the issue of missing persons.

The issue of missing persons has become one of the most sensitive and complex human rights challenges in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan. For many, it represents not only a legal and political crisis, but also a deeply personal one.

Unraveling the missing persons crisis: realities, misconceptions, and the path to resolution

Urging the need for a permanent solution, CM Bugti alleged that some elements and parties had “politicized” the issue as a “systematic propaganda tool” against Pakistan, but no serious effort had been made to resolve it legally.

He explained that security forces carried out intelligence-based operations in “gray zones” and the suspects were detained. However, he emphasized that “the issue of missing persons will end after February 1 and there will be a legal framework in this regard.”

The Prime Minister added: “We have buried this issue forever, which will put an end to allegations of enforced disappearances against the State of Pakistan and negative propaganda on this basis.”

However, he clarified that the State would not be responsible for any individual who was hiding or being kidnapped by a terrorist organization.

CM Bugti further highlighted that relevant courts and commissions were available to investigate missing persons complaints, but “unfortunately, in Balochistan, anti-state propaganda is started immediately creating the impression of self-imposed disappearance.”

On the legal front, the prime minister outlined measures to counter enforced disappearances under the Balochistan Prevention of Detention and Radicalization Act (Double One Tetra E), which was passed along with its Rules, 2025. “At specific centers established under this law, suspects would be interrogated under the supervision of authorized police officers, along with counselling, so that extremism, misleading narratives and thinking can be addressed. anti-state,” he said.

Bugti added that families of those investigated would be informed within 24 hours, gatherings could be allowed, medical facilities would be provided and no person would be transferred out of these centres. “Whichever law enforcement agency has to conduct the investigation, they will do it in the same centers,” he said.

“The government is honored to resolve an issue that was politicized for years; now, those who used to play politics on this issue are being buried forever,” CM Bugti said.

During the meeting, the provincial cabinet approved the Balochistan Witness Protection Amendment Bill, 2025. Bugti pointed out that earlier, lack of an effective witness protection system meant a conviction rate of only one to two per cent in cases of terrorism and serious crimes.

Under the new reforms, “faceless” courts have been established where the identity of witnesses will remain confidential to everyone except the judge. He said this is expected to increase the conviction rate by 50 to 60%.

The cabinet also approved the abolition of the Department of Religious Affairs and the absorption of its employees by other departments. Additionally, two new divisions, Pishin and Koh-e-Sulaiman, were created and Ziarat is now administratively part of Loralai. Karbala Municipal Committee was also established in Pishin district.