Missing Balochistan Times Editor Sajid Husain Who Chronicled Human Rights Violations In The Region, Found Dead

Editor in Chief of Balochistan Times Sajid Husain who chronicled various human rights violations in the restive Pakistan controlled region has been found dead following his mysterious disappearance a few weeks ago,

The news of his death was announced by Balochistan Times and confirmed by New York Times journalist Declan Walsh.

Husain who hailed from Balochistan had worked in various mainstream Pakistani publications but was forced to flee the country in 2012 following a string of disappearances in the province. He himself was threatened by security officials while helping Reuters write a story on the disappearances and had soon to flee the nation.

Over the next five years he lived in various countries like Oman, UAE and Uganda before ultimately taking asylum in Sweden in 2017.

After settling in Sweden he founded the Balochistan Times which focused on the atrocities and human rights violations by the Pakistani authorities and the suffering of Baloch people. The website is blocked in Pakistan.

Husain mysteriously went missing from the city of Uppsala on 2 March where he shifted from Stockholm to enrol himself in an university program.

Subsequently a social media campaign was launched by Husain’s well-wishers to locate him and groups like Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued statements urging Swedish authorities to locate him.

The RSF statement also pointed out the involvement of Pakistani security agencies in targeting journalists living overseas.

Unfortunately, his body was found by Swedish authorities yesterday (30 April) and they informed his family last night.