Balochistan's Crisis: Enforced Disappearances and Extrajudicial Killings Soar

Paank, the Baloch National Movement's human rights division, reported 181 enforced disappearances and 12 extrajudicial killings in Balochistan in March. Pakistani security forces and allied groups were implicated in widespread abductions. This situation has drawn calls for international intervention to uphold human rights standards.

In a distressing report, Paank, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), highlighted grave human rights violations in Balochistan during March. The organization documented 181 cases of enforced disappearances and 12 extrajudicial killings allegedly orchestrated by Pakistani security forces and local militants known as 'death squads.' These violations predominantly affected students, activists, and members of civil society.

Records indicate that 87 of those forcibly taken were released, many alleging mistreatment while in custody, according to The Balochistan Post. Quetta and Kalat saw the highest disappearances, with other areas like Dera Bugti and Gwadar also notably affected. The group's report underscored a lack of legal processes, with abductions often conducted without warrants.

Disturbing cases of targeted killings were also reported. Nizam Baloch was abducted and found dead, and his brother Shah Nawaz was later killed. The killings of Shah Jahan Kurd and several protestors further exemplify the gravity of the situation. Paank has called for immediate forensic investigations, particularly into 13 bodies buried in Quetta, and urged international human rights bodies to press the Pakistani government for accountability.

(With inputs from agencies.)