QUETTA: The Balochis­tan government has taken “serious steps” to resolve the missing persons issue and enacted laws to punish the guilty, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Thursday.

“The state should no longer be held responsible for cases of self-imposed disappearance,” Sarfraz Bugti said during a meeting on the matter.

He said the issue had now been addressed through legal means, adding that if anyone chooses to go into hiding on their own, responsibility cannot be attributed to the state.

Mr Bugti stressed that names of individuals who voluntarily associate with ‘militant’ or ‘separatist’ organisations should not be classified as “cases of enforced disappearance”.

“Unfortunately, state institutions have repeatedly been maligned in the past, but such narratives must no longer be used as a tool for propaganda,” the chief minister said.

Mr Bugti recalled that the United Nations had spelt out a “clearly defined mechanism” regarding missing persons, emphasising that the provincial government respected internationally recognised procedures and legal frameworks on the matter.

“The government of Balochistan remains committed to transparency, rule of law, and addressing legitimate concerns through constitutional and legal channels,” he said.

A day earlier, Mr Bugti said security forces in Balochistan often conducted intelligence-based operations where suspects were detained for investigation.

However, he added, the new legal framework would ensure transparency and accountability.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2026