Enforced Disappearances in Balochistan: A Persistent Crisis

Reports reveal multiple enforced disappearances in Balochistan, with Pakistani forces allegedly detaining individuals in different districts. Families remain in distress, seeking answers for missing loved ones. Despite some individuals returning home, many remain unaccounted for, fueling widespread fear and demands for accountability in the region.

Enforced disappearances in Balochistan have once again come under scrutiny as reports indicate that at least eight individuals have gone missing after reportedly being detained by Pakistani forces. The Balochistan Post highlights the grim situation, with Awaran district witnessing the disappearance of two shepherd brothers, Musafir Pasran and Ilahi Bakhsh, from Tank Harkshan village. Their brother Garebo suffered a similar fate just a week earlier, and all remain unaccounted for. Simultaneously, Akhtar Mohammad from Zahidabad in Mashkay was detained around the same period and has not been seen since.

In Panjgur district, a January 19 raid conducted by Pakistani intelligence agencies and security forces in Majboorabad Bostan and Isai villages led to the detention of three men: Yasir, son of Yaseen; Hayat, son of Wali Mohammad; and Jaleel, son of Abdul Khaliq. The reasons for their arrests and their current whereabouts remain unknown to their families, effectively classifying them as forcibly disappeared.

The Kech district also reported an incident involving Siraj Baloch, son of Nasrullah, who was allegedly abducted by Pakistani forces from the village of Minaaz in Buleda Tehsil on January 11, 2025. His family's search has so far been in vain. In a rare positive turn of events, two individuals previously considered disappeared, Israr and Mohammad Atif, have returned home, bringing relief to their worried families. However, these cases underline the persistent crisis in Balochistan, where many families continue to seek accountability amid mounting allegations against security forces and intelligence agencies.

(With inputs from agencies.)