The long-running case of Salim Baloch alias Molam, widely projected as a “forcibly disappeared person” from Balochistan, has taken a dramatic turn after the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) itself acknowledged that he was an active militant undergoing armed training rather than a victim of enforced disappearance.
Background of the Case
Salim Baloch, son of Abdul Sattar, was a resident of Absar, Turbat. He completed an MA in History from the University of the Punjab on a government scholarship and was later appointed to a job at the Turbat Municipal Corporation.
In 2023, he went missing under unclear circumstances. The family maintained silence, but the case was soon taken up by activists, including Mahrang Baloch and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), who alleged that Salim Baloch had been forcibly disappeared by state institutions.
In August 2023, Mahrang Baloch released an emotional video claiming Salim had been abducted in front of his mother and was in state custody. On August 4, 2023, Imaan Mazari also raised questions about his whereabouts on social media.
BLA’s Admission and Terror Link
On February 22, 2026, the narrative shifted when the BLA publicly disclosed that Salim Baloch was not missing. According to the banned outfit, he had joined the group in November 2023 and had been receiving militant training in the mountains.
The BLA further claimed that Salim Baloch was involved in planning attacks linked to January 31, 2026, incidents in which 37 civilians were killed, including three children, their mother, and a mosque imam. The group released a photograph of Salim Baloch, hailing him as a “hero” of its failed Operation Herof 2.0, a move that critics say directly contradicts earlier claims of enforced disappearance.
Pattern of ‘Missing Persons’ Lists
Salim Baloch is not an isolated case. Several militants killed in security operations were previously listed as “missing persons” by activist groups.
During an operation in Mastung, Burhan Baloch and Hafeez Baloch, alleged militants linked to Fitna-e-Hindustan, were killed despite being listed as missing by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
Similarly, Abdul Hameed and Rashid Baloch, also named in BYC’s missing persons lists, were later killed in counter-terrorism operations. In 2025, Sohaib Langov, killed in Kalat, and Karim Jan, killed during the Gwadar attack in March 2024, were likewise found to have militant links despite being portrayed as missing.
Another case cited by officials is Abdul Wadood Satakzai, killed in a naval base attack and identified as the brother of a BYC leader, whose name also appeared on missing persons lists.
Individuals Declared Missing in Balochistan Found Linked to Banned Militant Groups
Radicalization
Authorities further claim that student activism has been exploited for militant recruitment. Sufyan Kurd, a student of Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), is cited as an example of alleged radicalization through propaganda before being killed as a BLA recruit.
Reacting to the latest disclosure, Hina Parvez Butt, Chairperson of the Punjab Women Protection Authority (PWPA), stated on social media that Salim Baloch had been projected for years as a missing person, while the BLA has now acknowledged him as one of its operatives.
She said the case demonstrates how the “missing persons” narrative is allegedly weaponized by groups such as BYC and Paank to shield banned outfits like the BLA and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), while overlooking the recruitment and use of youth, students, and women by militant organizations.
It is evident that the issue of missing persons is being used to create a sense of deprivation and injustice among Baloch youth, which militant groups then exploit for recruitment and armed rebellion.
The Salim Baloch case has now intensified the debate, raising serious questions about verification, advocacy, and the overlap between militancy and activism in Balochistan.
