Balochistan Crisis: Rising Enforced Disappearances Amid Recovery of Dead Bodies

Pakistan's armed forces allegedly detained a man identified as Abdul Khalid, a resident of Parom Saiki Bazaar, district Panjgur, on October 30. Khalid was reportedly summoned to a nearby camp before being detained and moved to an undisclosed place. His family members have said that his whereabouts remain unknown since his detention. They have urged authorities to present him before court if there are any charges against him or release him immediately, 'The Balochistan Post' reported.

Meanwhile, two unidentified bodies were discovered in Turbat and Mastung districts. Police said that residents found the bodies on Sunday morning and informed the authorities, who shifted the bodies of the deceased to local hospitals for conducting post-mortem and identification. Police officials stated that efforts were being made to determine the identities of the deceased people.

Earlier on November 1, police in Mastung discovered the body of an unidentified man and took it to Nawab Ghaus Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital for post-mortem and identification.

Cases of enforced disappearances have also been reported in Balochistan. On October 30, Pakistani forces allegedly detained Basir Ahmed in Panjgur’s Issa Kahen area and he has not been seen since then.

Similarly, members of a state-backed militia from Nal Bazaar reportedly detained Abdul Sattar in Khuzdar district on October 29, The Balochistan Post reported. His family has received no information regarding his fate or location since his detention.

Two youths, who were previously missing in Turbat's Aliabad Koshkalat area - Shahjan and Abdul Hafeez, have returned home after reportedly being released on November 1. These two youths were detained on October 27. However, two other persons - Hamza and Shah Hussain, who were reportedly detained on the same day, continue to remain missing.

Cases of enforced disappearances have been reported in Balochistan regularly. Human rights groups have urged Pakistani authorities to address the issue and carry out transparent investigation of all the reports and ensure that those taken into custody are produced before court as per constitutional and international legal obligations.

On Monday, a human rights organisation alleged that Pakistani security forces have forcibly disappeared three more Baloch civilians in Balochistan, adding to the rising number of enforced disappearances reported across the volatile province.

Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, mentioned that between October 30 and 31, Pakistani security forces conducted a raid on a house in the Bahaman area of Turbat city, located in the Kech district of Balochistan. During the operation, three individuals were forcibly disappeared from their homes. The victims have been identified as Yasir, Waheed Ahmed and Zareef Ahmed.

- IANS