Escalating Crisis: Enforced Disappearances Surge in Balochistan

Pakistan's Balochistan sees an increase in enforced disappearances as four more individuals vanish amid military raids. Families and human rights groups urge intervention as over 55,000 cases remain unresolved. Urgent calls for international accountability arise as tensions and abductions intensify in the region.

In a growing crisis, Pakistan security forces have allegedly abducted four individuals from the Dera Bugti and Kech districts of Balochistan, as reported on Monday. The Balochistan Post highlighted the mysterious disappearance of Joaho, son of Bri Bugti, and Jona, son of Nokhaf Bugti, during a raid in the Siyah Aaf area of Patokh village, Dera Bugti. The raid also resulted in reported looting and property damage by security forces.

Similarly, Sikandar, son of Ajab Khan Bugti, was forcibly taken during a raid in Sui's Garani neighborhood. Local reports attribute growing regional tensions to increased state-sponsored military operations. Additionally, the Balochistan Post reported that Imtiaz, son of Nazeer Baloch, was displaced in the Buleda area of Kech district. His family has publicly denounced the abduction, appealing for human rights organizations' help in securing his release.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee voiced concerns over another incident on social media platform X, where they revealed that student Imtiaz Baloch, son of Nazeer Ahmed, was forcibly disappeared in Quetta while en route home. Imtiaz is a first-semester student at Bahauddin Zakariya University. The committee called for urgent action from human rights entities and the United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances to hold Pakistani authorities accountable, emphasizing the need for international intervention to cease these human rights violations.

(With inputs from agencies.)