QUETTA - Relatives of Baloch missing persons have been receiving threats from unknown phone numbers for the past four days to end their historic long march en route to Islamabad from Karachi.
Chairman of Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), a non-political organisation striving for the safe recovery of Baloch missing persons, told the media during a news conference that Vice Chairman of VFBMP Mama Qadir Baloch has been receiving threatening phone calls for the past four days. “A man on phone said to Mama Qadir that he should end the long march otherwise face dire consequences.”
Elderly man Mama Qadir, women and children have started their journey from Quetta at the end of November and after marching more than 750 kilometers in vast terrain reached in front of Karachi Press Club.  They resumed their journey for Islamabad after a short stay in Karachi.“As many as 40 people, including women and children, are marching towards Islamabad and crossed Thatta area of Sindh. These are potential death threats,” said Nasrullah Baloch, during the news conference at Quetta Press Club.
“Marchers have now been threatened by allegedly government functionaries.”
Nasrullah was accompanied by other relatives of Baloch missing persons.
He called upon United Nations and other International Humanitarian Organisations to take notice of this humanitarian issue and play their role for the recovery of the missing Baloch political activists who had been whisked away allegedly by the State-functionaries.
“It is really sad that humanitarian organisations are ignoring this serious crisis. The silence is deplorable because it was first time in the history that women and children travelled hundreds of kilometers on feet. We have been on peaceful protest for years but not to avail,” he told the reporters.
Nasrullah Baloch said that his organisation will not end the protest and long march until the last person is recovered.
“The relatives have left behind everything to find their loved ones who have gone missing for years,” he added.
Responding to a question, Nasrullah said that the number does not appear on phone but it says unknown number on the mobile screen. “These numbers are usually in use of State functionaries,” he told the reporters.