Pakistani forces forcibly disappear four civilians in Balochistan

Quetta, July 28 (AHN) At least four civilians were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, a leading human rights organisation said on Tuesday.

Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, revealed that 19 -year-old labourer Saeed Ahmed was subjected to enforced disappearance from Nigar area in Surab district on July 12 by Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel.

Additionally, 25-year-old police personnel Sanaullah Baloch and 38-year-old property dealer Khalil Baloch were taken from Killi Rehki area in Mastung on July 3 by ISI and FC personnel.

Condemning the incidents, Paank said, “Enforced disappearance is a grave violation of international human rights law. The practice places individuals outside the protection of the law, inflicts severe psychological suffering on their families, and fosters a climate of fear and impunity.”

Paank called on the Pakistani authorities to immediately reveal the fate and whereabouts of Sanaullah Baloch, Khalil Baloch, and Saeed Ahmed, ensure their prompt release if they are being held unlawfully, or bring them before an independent civilian court if there is a lawful basis for their detention.

It further urged the authorities to conduct prompt, impartial, independent, and transparent investigations into these allegations, hold those responsible accountable in accordance with the law, and ensure justice and effective remedies for the victims and their families.

Paank expressed grave concern over the enforced disappearance of Osman, a resident of Gobard Mand area in Kech district of Balochistan.

The rights body noted that Osman was abducted from Chabahar in Iran last month by Pakistani intelligence agencies operating through local informants, while his whereabouts remain unknown.

According to his family, Osman is an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) residing in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province for a couple of years. They insisted that if any allegations exist against him, he should be charged under the law and brought before a competent civilian court, rather than being subjected to secret detention or enforced disappearance.

Paank called on the Pakistani authorities to immediately reveal Osman's whereabouts, ensure his safety, grant him access to his family and legal counsel, and bring him before a court in accordance with due process or release him without delay.

Amid escalating violence in Balochistan, another two bodies were recovered from the Mashkai area of Awaran district, local media reported.

According to the police, one was identified as Imran, a resident of Khuzdar district, while the identity of the second person had not yet been established, The Balochistan Post reported.

This latest incident comes against the backdrop of a growing wave of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances across the province.