Families forced to disown ‘militant’ kin in Balochistan, rights body calls it state persecution
A human rights group in Pakistan’s Balochistan province has slammed a new government order that forces families to swear they have no ties to relatives accused of militancy—or face tough penalties like criminal charges, seized property, and cut-off state aid.
The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) called the directive a clear case of collective punishment. In a strong statement, they said it breaks international human rights laws and goes against basic ideas like individual responsibility and fair trials. “This isn’t just wrong—it’s a policy that looks a lot like a crime against humanity,” the group declared.
What makes it even worse, according to HRCB, is how it hits families of people who have vanished in enforced disappearances—a major issue in Balochistan. The order demands these families report to Pakistan’s Army and Frontier Corps, the same forces often blamed for the disappearances. HRCB described this as “humiliation, coercion, and psychological torture” that lets authorities off the hook while piling blame on victims.
The group warned that such steps deepen a culture of impunity for serious abuses in the region. Instead of targeting families, Pakistan’s government should focus on stopping enforced disappearances, protecting due process, and enforcing the rule of law, HRCB urged.
They called on the world, including UN human rights bodies and legal experts, to speak out against what they labeled a “draconian and unlawful policy.” It violates key treaties like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention Against Torture (CAT), the statement added. Without real change, HRCB said, this could fuel ongoing repression that feels like persecution of Balochistan’s entire population.
Balochistan has long been a hotspot for tensions, with locals pushing for independence from Pakistan amid reports of heavy-handed crackdowns. Human rights organizations point to patterns of violence by Pakistani forces, including home raids on Baloch leaders and civilians, wrongful arrests, enforced disappearances, the chilling “kill and dump” tactic, arbitrary detentions under public order laws, and fake police charges.
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