Enforced disappearances persist in Balochistan amid Pakistan's silence
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Take your experience further with Premium access. Thought-provoking Opinions, Expert Analysis, In-depth Insights and other Member Only BenefitsBalochistan [Pakistan], November 11 (ANI) The wave of enforced disappearances in Balochistan has intensified, with four more individuals reportedly abducted from different regions of the province during the first week of November. The cases, emerging from Panjgur, Kech, Dera Bugti, and Quetta, highlight what activists describe as Pakistan's systematic campaign of intimidation and suppression against Baloch civilians, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
According to The Balochistan Post, in the Panjgur district, Haji Shoaib, son of Waheed Bakhsh and a resident of Tasp, was allegedly picked up by Pakistani armed forces around midnight. Locals stated that Shoaib was taken to an unknown destination, and his family has received no official information regarding his fate or whereabouts.
In a similar incident in Kech district, Jalal Baloch, son of Jameel and a resident of Gomazi, Tump, was allegedly detained from his home at around 2 a.m. Human rights organisation Paank, affiliated with the Baloch National Movement (BNM), informed that Jalal, a driver by profession, was abducted "without any legal warrant or judicial procedure," calling the act a blatant violation of human rights.
Another case occurred in Dera Bugti, where Abdullah, son of Toso Bugti and an employee of Pakistan Petroleum Limited, was allegedly taken by security forces in broad daylight.
Eyewitnesses stated that armed personnel seized him without justification and later transferred him to an undisclosed location. In Quetta, Shafiq Ahmed, son of Noor Muhammad and a student at the Disaster Management Department, was reportedly disappeared by Pakistani forces from Brewery Road. Paank condemned his abduction, stating that "the ongoing targeting of students and civilians fosters fear and insecurity in society." The group demanded his immediate and safe release, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post.
Human rights observers stated that these disappearances are part of a growing pattern of state repression in Balochistan. Despite repeated denials by Pakistani authorities, the province continues to face mounting allegations of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial detentions, and systemic silencing of dissenting voices, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI)
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