Rights group accuses Pak forces of forcibly disappearing man from Balochistan
Quetta, Oct. 6 — In a sharp rise of forced disappearances across Balochistan, human‑rights groups say Pakistani security forces abducted a shopkeeper in Khuzdar’s Norgama Zehri area on Oct. 5, 2025. Asad Ullah, the son of Rasool Bakhsh, was taken from his home by military personnel, according to the Baloch National Movement’s (BNM) Human Rights Department, Paank.
The group posted the claim on X (formerly Twitter), adding that the same day, a resident of Gwadar’s Dando, Hamid Baloch, was seized by a local death squad working with security forces. Paank said Hamid is the son of Gwahram and that the abduction likely involved a “death squad operating in coordination with Pakistani security forces.”
Another victim was Mumtaz Saleh from Turbat. Paank reported that on Oct. 2, Mumtaz, son of Saleh Zaheer and a native of Kashap, Dasht, was taken from his home by Pakistani security forces while living in the Gulshan Abad area of Turbat city.
These incidents are part of a larger pattern. A March report from the Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) documented 123 enforced disappearances and 26 killings in August 2025. In that month, 106 people remained missing, 12 were released, and five were killed extrajudicially while in custody. Quetta recorded the most abductions (27 cases), followed by Kech (25) and Dera Bugti (15). Other districts saw lower numbers, but the trend is clear: Balochistan has become a hotspot for state‑linked disappearances.
The HRCB analysis also highlighted the roles of Pakistani security forces. The Frontier Corps (FC) was linked to 60 disappearances, intelligence agencies to 33, and the Counter‑Terrorism Department (CTD) to 28. Two cases were tied to independent death squads. In addition to abductions, hard‑line tactics such as internet and mobile shutdowns, Section 144 orders, and house raids were reported across the province.
The report notes that 26 people were killed in August, most by death squads and security forces. Incident types varied: nine targeted attacks, five bodies recovered, four persons died while in custody, four honor‑related killings, two deaths during encounters, one from mortar shelling, and one from indiscriminate firing.
As the number of enforced disappearances rises, human‑rights advocates call for accountability and the protection of civilians in Balochistan. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely.
Source: ianslive
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