Four civilians forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan: Rights body

Quetta, April 22 (IANS) At least four civilians, including a woman, were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, according to leading human rights organisations.

Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, on Wednesday strongly condemned the enforced disappearance of Khadija Baloch, a female nursing student.

According to the rights body, she was abducted on Tuesday by personnel of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps (FC), Military Intelligence (MI) and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) from the hostel of Bolan Medical College in the provincial capital, Quetta.

Expressing grave concern over the enforced disappearance of Khadija, the Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) said, “This incident reflects a continuing pattern where Baloch women are increasingly subjected to enforced disappearances, intimidation, and unlawful detention, undermining their fundamental rights and security.”

The human rights organisations called on the Pakistani authorities to immediately disclose Khadija's whereabouts and ensure her safe release. They also urged international human rights bodies to take urgent note of the dire situation in Balochistan and hold those responsible accountable.

Paank further revealed that 28-year-old Balochi writer Daad Shah was forcibly disappeared for the second time on Tuesday. He is the brother of Fozia Baloch, a member of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).

The rights body stated that he was previously subjected to enforced disappearance on August 11, 2023, during which he remained missing for 27 days before reappearing bearing signs of “severe mental and physical torture”.

“The repeated enforced disappearance of Daad Shah raises grave concerns about his safety and highlights an ongoing pattern of targeting writers and intellectuals in Balochistan,” Paank stated.

Sabiha Baloch, a BYC leader, described the enforced disappearance of Daad as a disturbing pattern of intimidation by Pakistani authorities.

Taking to her social media platform X, Sabiha said, “Targeting relatives of Baloch human rights activists and advocates is being used to silence dissent and punish lawful political expression. Such actions constitute collective punishment and violate fundamental human rights norms. The repetition of these incidents indicates a deliberate policy aimed at coercion rather than justice, undermining the rule of law and due process.”

Highlighting the atrocities against civilians across Balochistan, Paank further mentioned that 29-year-old shopkeeper Noman Baloch, a resident of the Turbat region in the Kech district, was forcibly disappeared from his home on April 18, along with his brother Ikram, by personnel of FC.

Balochistan continues to reel under relentless atrocities by the Pakistani forces, marked by enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of Baloch civilians at an unprecedented level.

--IANS