THE Balochistan government’s latest notification obliging families to report if their relatives have gone missing or joined militant groups raises serious questions about rights, responsibilities and the state’s own record. Under the directive, citizens must file reports with the police or security agencies within seven days and, in cases where individuals are found to have joined militant outfits, submit sworn affidavits disowning them. Failure to comply would mean facing the full force of antiterrorism laws, including being labelled abettors or facilitators, with the possibility of property confiscation and denial of state services. This is an extraordinary shift in legal responsibility. Families already traumatised by the disappearance of loved ones are now expected to prove their innocence by effectively disowning them. The presumption underlying the order is troubling: it treats every household as a potential accomplice to terrorism, rather than recognising families as citizens with rights to privacy, dignity and due process. Such a measure also risks silencing those who might otherwise come forward to seek information about their missing relatives, fearing that doing so will invite state reprisal or suspicion. For years, Balochistan has grappled with the crisis of enforced disappearances. Commissions have been formed, reports issued, and governments have repeatedly promised redress, yet the families’ cries for justice have gone largely unheard. Against this backdrop, to now demand that families submit affidavits disowning their sons or brothers is to deepen the climate of mistrust. Instead of offering protection, the state appears to be shifting blame onto those already most vulnerable, and widening the gap between people and institutions.

Security concerns in the province are undeniable, and no one can deny the devastating toll of militancy. The state has a duty to curb violence and dismantle networks that threaten citizens’ lives. But that obligation cannot be met by eroding fundamental rights or by compelling families to act as extensions of the intelligence apparatus. Accountability for militancy lies with individuals, not with entire households, and certainly not through coerced declarations of disownment. If the government wishes to build trust in Balochistan, it must pursue justice transparently, strengthen investigative capacity, and uphold the law without collective punishment. Only by respecting rights can it begin to heal the province’s wounds. Turning families into suspects will only alienate them further — and make reconciliation all the more elusive.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2025