Rising Fears in Balochistan: Another Youth Reportedly Forcibly Disappeared

The alarming trend of enforced disappearances continues in Balochistan, as another youth, Zubair Baloch, is reportedly detained by Pakistani security forces. Activists and human rights organizations call for urgent international intervention.

Amid the increasingly dire human rights situation in Balochistan, another youth has reportedly been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces in Gwadar. The Balochistan Post reported that Zubair Baloch, son of Umar, was allegedly detained from the Dasht Dhor Kundag area and taken to an undisclosed location, with his whereabouts still unknown.

This incident adds to the mounting number of enforced disappearances in the region. Last Thursday, two lawyers in Quetta were also forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces but were later released after protests from the Balochistan Bar Council and other legal groups.

Reports indicate that Fida Ahmed Dashti was taken from his home by the Counter-Terrorism Department and other unidentified masked armed men. Similarly, Advocate Salahuddin, the son of Muhammad Ayub Mengal from the Naag area of Washuk, was allegedly abducted near Goli Mar Chowk in Quetta around midnight.

Both Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) and the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) have expressed serious concerns over the rising incidents of enforced disappearances. These organizations are calling on international human rights bodies to investigate and ensure the safe return of the missing individuals.

The BYC issued a statement on X, claiming that the state is afraid of the Baloch people's political and national struggle and is using force to quash the movement. They declared that despite ongoing state oppression, the resolve of the Baloch people remains unbroken. The history of enforced disappearances in Pakistan continues to target human rights defenders, minority activists, and opposition supporters, according to The Balochistan Post.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have documented these violations, with a focus on extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. Despite the government's denials, there is mounting international criticism. The persistence of these abuses in Balochistan demands urgent global intervention, as significant evidence points to widespread and systematic abuse by Pakistani security forces.

(With inputs from agencies.)