Join Aomar Karim’s Official Channel
By Mehlab Baloch
The theme of Women’s Day arises from global societies, emphasising the need to be bold for change and strive for a more gender-inclusive world. The marches held worldwide directly reflect feminism, advocating for women’s rights to work, vote, and access education and healthcare. However, have we ever framed these slogans with the realities of deprived and oppressed communities in mind? True change must extend to those facing the most fundamental struggles, such as the right to live and be with their loved ones, particularly victims of enforced disappearances, rather than remaining within ideological debates. The most urgent need for change lies where oppression is deepest.
Thank you for reading this post, and don't forget to share!
Every year, on March 8, Pakistan witnesses marches advocating for feminism, with slogans like “Mera Jism Meri Marzi” echoing through the streets. However, these slogans do not resonate with every society in the country. In Balochistan, women stand at the crossroads of oppression. On one hand, they are deprived of their fundamental rights, and on the other, they march not for personal autonomy but for their missing loved ones – victims of enforced disappearances.
For Baloch women, the mainstream feminist rhetoric holds little relevance. Their struggle is not against their own men but for them—fighting relentlessly to secure the safe return of their abducted fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons. Enforced disappearances have affected nearly every home in Balochistan, turning women into frontline activists. The streets have become their second homes, and protests, once a symbol of defiance, have transformed into spaces of resilience and hope.
Unlike other regions, where feminist movements chant “Mera Jism Meri Marzi”, Baloch women raise a different cry: “Release my father.” In Balochistan, the fight for justice is being led by women who refuse to be silenced by state oppression. Their struggle is not just about survival but about reclaiming their dignity, their families, and their homeland. Figures like Mahrang Baloch, Sabiha Baloch, Shalee Baloch, and Sammi Deen Baloch have emerged as formidable leaders, standing steadfast in the face of injustice. Their mission is clear—to empower Baloch women, to stand by them in their fight, and to restore the lost honour of their land. In a remarkable reversal of traditional roles, men now follow these women, inspired by their courage and determination.
The state’s kill-and-dump policy has been ruthlessly implemented to silence dissent, targeting individuals and entire communities. In the region, where, for a long time, people were afraid to resist and silent over the state’s brutality, the new wave of resistance we see today began with a woman—Malik Naaz of Kech. In 2020, when state-backed death squads surrounded Malik Naaz’s home, aiming to harass her and loot her belongings, she refused to bow down. Instead, she stood defiantly, choosing courage over fear and embracing martyrdom rather than submission. That was the time when the Bramsh Yakjehti Committee was formed, which later turned out to be a huge mass movement and eventually evolved into the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, led by Baloch women.
The brutal killing of Hayat Baloch sparked an awakening among Baloch women, fuelling a movement that refuses to back down. The murder of Balach Mola Bakhsh further shook the nation, exposing the state’s violent tactics and reinforcing the urgency of the struggle. The oppression has taken women to the streets, chanting for their missing loved ones, unwilling to accept the massacre of their families as an unchangeable fate.
To be a woman in Balochistan is to embody resilience. Their struggles are relentless, their courage boundless. They refuse to bow before oppression, determined to bring their loved ones home. The mother of Zakir Majeed, whose son was abducted in 2009, has spent years protesting, her life unfolding on the roads in an unyielding search for justice. Though time has aged her eyes, her spirit remains unbroken, steadfast in her fight.
Balochistan is a land of a thousand untold tragedies of abductions, massacres, and generations lost to state brutality. In times of war, it is women who suffer the most, and Baloch women have lived through that reality. Yet, they continue to rise, turning grief into resistance and silence into a voice that refuses to be ignored.
📺 Watch Latest Videos
State Brutality Against Sindh University Students | Sohail Abro’s Strong Condemnation
#SindhUniversity #StateBrutality #JSFM #SohailAbro #HumanRights #StudentRights #JusticeForStudents #Sindh #Pakistan #AomarKarim[+] Show More
