Pakistan: Rights groups alarmed as bodies of missing Baloch students recovered

Balochistan [Pakistan] February 16 (ANI): Three Baloch youths, including students who had earlier been reported detained or missing, have been found dead in separate incidents across the province. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee described the deaths as part of what it alleges is a persistent pattern of enforced disappearances followed by extrajudicial killings, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

According to The Balochistan Post, the committee said the recoveries took place in different districts within two days, aggravating fear among residents who say uncertainty has gripped many families. Relatives and local contacts stated that such incidents mirror what activists frequently call a "kill and dump" practice, where detainees later resurface as bodies.

Among the cases highlighted was that of Jangian Baloch, a matric student, whose remains were recovered from Panjgur. His family says he had allegedly been taken into custody months earlier in Parom. They claim they spent nearly eight months approaching courts and authorities in search of information, but ultimately received his body, which they say showed signs of torture. Local sources further alleged that numerous comparable cases have surfaced in recent days.

A day earlier, 17-year-old Mehnas Baloch was shot dead in Tump in Kech district by unidentified attackers. Residents termed it a targeted killing. Family members said he had no registered cases or known accusations against him. On the same date, another student, Nawab Abdullah, was found dead in Washbud, Panjgur.

According to relatives, he had been taken away from his home in late May last year in front of family members and had remained missing since. They alleged the body bore bullet wounds and marks of abuse, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post.

The BYC said that the continuation of such events points to serious violations of fundamental rights, particularly protections against arbitrary detention and the right to life. The group has appealed to international organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations Human Rights Council, to urgently respond to the situation in Balochistan, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI)

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