ISLAMABAD: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti said on Tuesday his government had put in place a new framework to address the long-running issue of missing persons in the province, a problem that has fueled anger, protests and allegations of enforced disappearances for decades.

Bugti was speaking while chairing a provincial cabinet meeting that approved new detention and investigation rules, under which suspects would be questioned at designated centers under the supervision of authorized police officers, with families allowed to meet those held in custody, according to an official statement.

The issue of missing persons — particularly in Balochistan — has been one of Pakistan’s most sensitive human rights concerns. Families of missing individuals and rights groups have long accused security agencies of enforced disappearances during counter-insurgency operations, allegations the state has repeatedly denied, saying people have either joined militant groups or fled the country.

“People have used the issue of missing persons for political purposes, but we have buried this propaganda permanently,” Bugti said, adding that the provincial government had decided to deal with suspects through a defined legal process rather than informal detention.

He said investigations would now take place under police oversight and that relatives of suspects would be allowed visitation, steps he said were aimed at ensuring transparency and the rule of law.

The cabinet also approved the Balochistan Prevention, Detention and De-radicalization Rules 2025, alongside amendments to the province’s witness protection law, which officials said were intended to strengthen prosecutions and protect complainants and witnesses in terrorism-related cases.

Pakistan has faced repeated scrutiny from human rights organizations and UN bodies over enforced disappearances, particularly in Balochistan, where a separatist insurgency, sectarian violence and militant attacks have persisted for years. Protest movements led by families of missing persons have staged sit-ins and long marches demanding accountability and access to detainees.

Bugti said good governance was not possible without effective enforcement of laws and that the provincial government would pursue cases on “strong legal foundations,” while ensuring protection for victims and witnesses.

The provincial government says the new measures will help address grievances linked to missing persons, though rights groups have said lasting progress will depend on independent oversight and accountability for past cases.