GWADAR: Protesters staging a sit-in and blocking the CPEC Highway in the Tajban area of Kech district continued their protest on Thursday, the third day of demonstrations, against the alleged enforced disappearance of four members of a family, two of them women.

Two women who family members said were forcibly taken away from their homes were identified as Khairun Nisa and Hani Dilwash. Hundreds of trucks, cars and other vehicles remained stuck on both sides of the highway due to the blockade, causing serious difficulties for the public.

The family members and other protesters have refused to open the highway until the recovery of the four missing people, who they claimed were forcibly disappeared from their homes three days ago.

“We have been sitting on the highway for the last three days, but our family members have not been recovered so far,” they said.

They alleged that serious accusations were being leveled against the missing family members on social media, adding that “we have no information about their whereabouts”.

Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Hanif Kabzai and local elders held talks with the protesters and tried to convince them to end the protest and open the highway for traffic, but to no avail, as the protesters refused to do so until the recovery of the missing people.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2025