The Government of Balochistan has established de-radicalization centers as a new mechanism to deal with the long-running issue of missing persons, Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said while talking to Arab News.
Bugti said the initiative aims to end enforced disappearances by placing suspected militants in state-run facilities under judicial oversight, where interrogation, medical care, and family access are allowed.
The issue of missing persons remains one of Pakistan’s most sensitive human rights concerns, particularly in Balochistan, where separatist violence and counter-terrorism operations have shaped the security landscape for decades.
Legal Custody Instead of ‘Disappearances’
“Regarding the issue of missing persons, we found a solution,” Bugti said, claiming that after February 1, individuals taken into custody will no longer be held outside the legal framework.
According to the chief minister, five to six suspects are already being held in the newly established centers, which were created following parliamentary approval to provide intelligence agencies with a lawful alternative to informal detention.
He said suspects are interrogated under police supervision and have full access to legal remedies.
How the System Works
Bugti said interrogation at the centers is conducted under a senior superintendent-level police officer, while intelligence agencies are barred from moving suspects to their own facilities.
“Interrogation will happen there. Medical facilities will be available. Meetings with parents will be allowed. The magistrate and families will be informed,” he said.
After three months, the Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court will decide whether the suspect should be released or detention extended.
Bugti added that detention must ultimately move toward prosecution.
Rehabilitation and Online Radicalization
The chief minister said the centers are also intended to rehabilitate individuals influenced by extremist content, particularly through social media.
He cited a past case involving the killing of former Balochistan High Court chief justice Muhammad Noor Meskanzai in 2022, saying the accused was radicalized within weeks through online messaging.
“Someone has to carry out de-radicalization, and we will do that,” Bugti said.
Faceless Courts and Witness Protection
For suspects formally charged, Bugti said the provincial government has introduced faceless courts and enacted a witness protection law to ensure secure trials.
Witness identities can be concealed, he said, while accused persons retain the right to legal counsel.
Debate Over ‘Missing Persons’
Responding to criticism from nationalist groups and rights activists, including the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), Bugti argued that it is important to distinguish between enforced disappearance and self-disappearance.
He said official data from the government’s commission on missing persons indicates 200 to 300 unresolved cases from Balochistan, though he acknowledged that verification remains ongoing.
“The issue has become complex and is often used as a propaganda tool against the state,” Bugti said.
