Pakistan: Balochistan records uptick in forcible disappearances, violence by 'Pakistani forces'

Pakistan [Balochistan], February 19 (ANI): Leading Pakistan human rights body, Paank, highlighted another incident of enforced disappearance, where four individuals were abducted at the hands of Pakistani forces in Balochistan on Monday.

"We are deeply concerned about reports of enforced disappearances & violence by Pakistani forces in #Balochistan. On Feb 17, 2025, four individuals, Homat Baloch, Ali Jan Baloch, Nasir Baloch (disappeared twice before), & Shah Je, were forcibly taken in Mashkai, Awaran," the rights group stated in a post.

Paank gave a call to Pakistan to end enforced disappearances, ensure accountability, and respect human rights.

Earlier, another leading human rights body from Pakistan, Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) had shared the plight of a family whose son, Raheem Baloch has been forcibly disappeared by the security forces since 2016.

BYC shared that Raheem Baloch's father passed away and gave a call for Raheem's release to attend his father's funeral. The family said it will take the body across to demand justice.

In a post on X BYC said, "Forcibly disappeared Raheem Baloch's father Shah Nawaz Baloch passed away today. He struggled for disappeared Raheem who has been forcibly disappeared since 26 August, 2016 by security forces. Such instances of collective punishment are rife across Balochistan where mothers and fathers leave this world grieving for their disappeared loved ones. The victim family brought Shah Nawaz Baloch's dead body to Kharan Red Zone and staged a sit-in. They are demanding the whereabouts of Raheem and for his release to attend his father's funeral. They have vowed to take the body of the deceased to every corner of the land to demand justice".

It gave a call for people to join in and raise voice against such inhuman practices.

Balochistan faces numerous issues, including state repression, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings of activists, scholars, and civilians. The region suffers from economic neglect, with insufficient development, lack of basic infrastructure, and limited political autonomy. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)