Baluchistan: The families of missing people continued to block the N-25 highway after which the traffic between Quetta and Karachi remained suspended for several hours on Monday, Dawn reported.

The kin of missing people said that they don't know the whereabouts even after they repeatedly pleaded with authorities to speed up the search process. They claimed that so far, they haven’t received any response.

Passenger coaches, buses, trucks carrying imported goods, and other vehicles were stuck in extremely hot weather, with no food and water in sight. The local population tried to help as much as they could. But due to chaos most of the people suffered for a prolonged period.

The protesters carried placards inscribed with their demands for the recovery of missing persons. They said that it was the responsibility of the state to recover all missing persons and if they are involved in any crime, they should be produced before courts to decide their cases, Pakistani-English newspaper reported.

Officials of the local administration held negotiations with the relatives of missing persons and assured them that all possible steps would be taken for the recovery of the missing people. After successful negotiations, the protesters called off their protest and opened the Quetta-Karachi national highway. It was not long before traffic between Quetta and Karachi was restored.

Shahan, a resident of Kalat town, went missing on January 24, 2022.

Meanwhile, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee also took out a rally in Quetta in favour of missing persons hailing from the Kech district. The participants of the rally after marching on various roads of the provincial capital gathered in front of Quetta Press Club and chanted slogans against the government. The speakers mentioned Salam Baloch, who went missing last year and till now, his family has no information regarding his whereabouts, as per Dawn.

Attacks and persecution of the Baloch in Pakistan have been on the rise, according to reports.

The Pakistan authorities have been accused of abduction and extra-judicial killings to suppress independent voices.

Recently, two Baloch youths were abducted by the Pakistan Army, informed Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP).

VBMP is an organization that represents the family of those abducted from the Baluchistan province of Pakistan.

The two kidnapped youths were identified as Mohammad and Asim, residents of Khuzdar.

They were abducted allegedly by the Rangers from Karachi on June 17 and then transferred to an unknown location.

The victim's family has not been provided with any information about the condition of the two youths, VBMP further alleged.