Alarming Rise in Enforced Disappearances in Balochistan Tied to Security Forces

Recent reports reveal alarming cases of at least seven young men disappearing in Balochistan, allegedly by Pakistani security forces. This contributes to over two dozen cases in the region in January 2025. Human rights organizations demand accountability and call for an end to forced disappearances.

At least seven young men have disappeared in various regions of Balochistan, as allegations surface against Pakistani security forces for their involvement, according to The Balochistan Post. Javed Baloch, a journalist from Gwadar, reported on social media that his relatives, Zakir Somar and Naseem Hameed, were forcibly taken from Gwadar's Ghati Dhur Chowk.

In a concerning development in Panjgur district, Pakistani forces reportedly conducted a raid at Rahim Bakhsh's home around 11 a.m. last Saturday. The operation resulted in the detention of his three sons, Irshad, Siddique, and Zahir, who have since been held at an undisclosed location. Similarly, in Barkhan, two individuals, Aslam Khetran and Baloch artist Nadi Gulaf Marri, were allegedly abducted by unidentified individuals in a government-registered vehicle.

This case forms part of a troubling pattern, with over two dozen incidents of enforced disappearances reported in Balochistan this January alone. In Awaran district, the disappearance of two shepherd brothers, Musafir Pasran and Ilahi Bakhsh, from Tank Harkshan village, followed the unexplained detention of their brother Garebo, who was taken a week prior. Likewise, Akhtar Mohammad from Zahidabad in Mashkay has also vanished, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

Meanwhile, in the earlier operation in Panjgur district on January 19, Pakistani forces, alongside intelligence agencies, conducted a raid in Majboorabad Bostan and Isai villages, detaining Yasir, Hayat, and Jaleel. Human rights organizations in the region have condemned these actions, accusing Pakistani forces of fostering fear in the local community through such operations. These groups continue to press for the cessation of forced disappearances and demand transparency and accountability from the Pakistani authorities. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)