Balochistan: Human rights groups demand immediate release of missing woman

Khuzdar [Balochistan], December 15 (ANI): The alleged enforced disappearance of Farzana Zehri, a resident of Zehri in Balochistan's Khuzdar district, has drawn sharp condemnation from Baloch rights groups and activists, who say her case reflects a troubling pattern of targeting Baloch women.

According to Paank, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), Farzana, daughter of Muhammad Bakhsh Zehri, was forcibly taken by Pakistani forces on the night of 1 December 2025 while returning home from a hospital in Khuzdar. "Her whereabouts remain unknown, and authorities have neither acknowledged her detention nor provided any legal justification," the group said in a statement.

Paank described the incident as "a clear case of enforced disappearance" and a "grave violation of fundamental human rights and international law." The group further noted that the disappearance occurred shortly after Farzana's family had migrated from Zehri to Khuzdar due to security concerns, suggesting a continued pattern of targeting Baloch civilians even after displacement. Paank held the state and its security institutions fully responsible for her safety and demanded her immediate production before a court or unconditional release.

Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) said Farzana's disappearance was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of state repression. "These cases reflect the state's fear of Baloch women who are conscious, active, and courageous in their role in the national movement," BVJ said. The group cited other recent cases, including Mahjabeen Baloch, a 24-year-old student abducted from Quetta Civil Hospital in May 2025; 15-year-old Nasreena Baloch, who disappeared in November 2025; and Rahima Baloch, 20, taken from her home in Dalbandin in December 2025. "These incidents suggest a deliberate and organised policy of intimidation and silence," BVJ added.

The Baloch Women Forum (BWF) echoed the concerns, describing Farzana's disappearance as part of "a series of shameful state acts in Balochistan." The forum warned that there appears to be a gradual attempt to normalise the enforced disappearance of Baloch women, noting that at least eight women were reportedly disappeared in 2025 alone, though the actual number may be higher.

Human rights groups have called on both national and international bodies to take serious notice of Farzana Zehri's case and press Pakistani authorities to end the longstanding practice of enforced disappearances in Balochistan. (ANI)

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