Feb 20 – A woman in Quetta has alleged that her two teenage sons were forcibly disappeared after being detained during a late-night raid by Pakistani forces, and appealed to authorities to secure their immediate recovery.
Speaking at a press conference outside the Quetta Press Club at the protest camp of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), Bibi Shahida said her sons — Tanveer Ahmed, 17, and Basheer Ahmed, 15 — were taken into custody on February 3 and have not been seen since.
Shahida said security personnel raided her home in Kili Bangulzai in the Sariab Customs area at around 1am, and detained the boys in her presence.
She said officials told the family the teenagers would be questioned and released the same night, but 12 days later, relatives have not received any information on their whereabouts or condition.
“My sons are innocent. My husband has passed away and I am a helpless mother,” she told journalists, adding that the uncertainty has caused the family severe distress.
Through the media, Shahida appealed to senior authorities to recover her sons and, if there are allegations against them, to present them in court rather than subjecting the family to enforced disappearance.
She maintained that the teenagers are innocent and said ensuring their safety remains the responsibility of the authorities.
