At least five civilians were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, a leading human rights organisation stated
These latest incidents come against the backdrop of a growing wave of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings across the province.
Paank, the Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Department, mentioned that two teachers, 45-year-old Abdul Hameed and 36-year-old Nasir Ali, were abducted on May 5 from the Paroom region in the Panjgur district by personnel of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps.
“The targetting of educators is deeply alarming and reflects a disturbing pattern of arbitrary detentions and human rights violations in Balochistan. The continued disappearance of civilians, particularly professionals serving their communities, creates fear and undermines the social fabric,” the rights body stated.
Paank mentioned that another civilian, 27-year-old Altaf Hussain Baloch, was abducted on May 2 from Hub Chowki by personnel of Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).
Condemning the incident, the rights body said, “Such actions violate fundamental human rights and leave families in prolonged anguish and uncertainty.”
In a separate incident, on the same day, 40-year-old Jan Khan and his 20-year-old son Abdul Sattar were abducted from their home in the provincial capital Quetta by CTD personnel.
Paank called on the Pakistani authorities to immediately release the missing persons or produce them before a court of law. It further appealed to end enforced disappearances and ensure accountability for those responsible.
As violence against civilians continues to escalate across Balochistan, a sit-in protest staged by the students outside Bolan Medical College (BMC) in the provincial capital, Quetta, entered its fifteenth consecutive day on Wednesday, with demonstrators demanding the release of Khadija Baloch.
According to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), Khadija was abducted on April 21 by Pakistani security forces from the BMC female hostel in Quetta and shifted to an undisclosed location.
Expressing concern over the lack of action by the Pakistani authorities, the BYC said, “For the past fifteen days, the sit-in protest has continued without any meaningful progress from the administration. This persistent negligence has further deepened the concerns of the family and protesters.”
Balochistan continues to reel under relentless atrocities by the Pakistani forces, marked by enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of Baloch civilians at an unprecedented level.
