Commission Members Priorities To Redress Baloch Students’ Grievances

News Desk

Islamabad: Considering the issue of missing persons seriously, the Commission’s members expressed a strong commitment to delve deeply into the case of the missing Baloch students and find a resolution so that the grievances of the Baloch students may be addressed.

The 3rd meeting of the Commission, constituted in light of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) order to address the grievances of Baloch students, was held at Parliament House on Friday and chaired by Member National Assembly Sardar Akhtar Mengal.

Senators Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Kamran Murtaza, Mian Raza Rabbani, Former Senator Afrasiab Khattak, MNA Asad Umar, Prof Dr Asma Faiz, and Former Chief Secretary Balochistan Nasir Mehmood Khosa participated in the meeting.

The participants talked in-depth about racial profiling, forced disappearances, and harassment of Baloch students at Quaid-i-Azam University and other Pakistani educational institutions.

HEC Executive Director briefed the Commission that several actions were being taken in response to complaints of racial harassment of Baloch students, including checking for unauthorised entry into universities, enforcing the harassment policy, warning the administration of all universities, and setting up facilitation desks inside universities for the resolution of such complaints.

The QAU vice chancellor informed the Commission of the alleged harassment of the Baloch students as well as the case of a missing Baloch student enrolled in the University.

He added that many measures have been taken to guarantee that similar instances wouldn’t occur again in the future, including the circulation of the Code of Conduct to faculty members and the formation of a special cell to deal with issues Baloch students are facing. Additionally, disciplinary action was taken against the official involved in such activities.

He stated that the incidence had also been officially reported to the relevant ministeries and divisions.

Ministry of Law and Justice Secretary Raja Naeem Akram briefed the panel with an overview of the existing laws regarding the subject of missing persons/enforced disappearances in accordance with the general framework of fundamental rights established in the Constitution.

Senator Raza Rabbani noted that in order to address the issue of missing persons, strong political will is urgently needed.

Ministry of Human Rights Secretary informed the participants on the proceedings held so far in the IHC regarding the issue of missing persons. Seven hearings had taken place between April and October 3 2022, he added, and the Ministry of Interior had been made aware of a list of 31 missing Baloch students that was given to the ministry by the council of Baloch students.

Additionally, it was decided to invite the Ministry of Defence Secretary to the next meeting for a thorough briefing on the matter.