Pakistan’s Ongoing Repression in Balochistan: Enforced Disappearances and Killings Escalate

Human Rights Groups Condemn Pakistan’s Brutal Crackdown on Baloch People

Balochistan, February 22, 2025 – The crisis in Balochistan continues to worsen as human rights groups report a sharp rise in enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and state-backed violence. Despite growing international criticism, Pakistani authorities persist in targeting the Baloch people through abductions, intimidation, and brutal crackdowns.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a major human rights organization, has reported an increase in attacks by state-supported death squads. Families of victims, seeking justice, have been met with police violence, as authorities try to suppress peaceful protests.

Targeted Killings and Disappearances Continue Unabated

One of the most shocking recent cases was the assassination of Karim Baloch, a young man from Gomazi, by Pakistan-backed militants. His relative, Mehraj Baloch, was also killed in the attack. Their families, devastated by the loss, have been protesting by displaying their bodies in public, demanding accountability and justice.

Similarly, three brothers—Waheed, Nadeem, and Hafeez Majeed—were forcibly taken by Pakistani security forces, sparking protests in Pasni. Demonstrators blocked roads, calling for their safe return. On January 11, another activist, Jhanzeb Baloch, was abducted in Zehri, prompting more demonstrations that disrupted a key China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) highway in Surab. Instead of addressing these concerns, Pakistani forces responded with force, injuring two women during the protest.

The BYC has called on international human rights groups to take urgent action against Pakistan’s continued repression of the Baloch people.

Torture, Murder, and Cover-ups

Enforced disappearances are often followed by torture and killings. On February 14, in Panjgur, two men—Shukrullah and Nadeem Baloch—were detained by security forces. Two days later, Shukrullah’s mutilated body was discovered, while Nadeem was found severely injured in Surab.

Families of victims have reported receiving threats from intelligence agencies, warning them to bury their dead quietly and remain silent. Those who refuse to comply risk facing a similar fate. This tactic of intimidation highlights Pakistan’s desperate efforts to silence any criticism of its actions in Balochistan.

Mass Abductions: A Crime Against Humanity

The Baloch National Movement’s human rights wing, Paank, has documented 11 enforced disappearances in Pasni between February 8 and 10. Among the abducted are:

• Naseem and Washdil, brothers from Gwadar, targeted because Naseem managed a social media page reporting local weather updates.
• Nine others from different parts of Pasni, including Saleem Raza, Ali Baloch, and Ahmed Raza, who were taken away without any explanation or legal justification.

These disappearances reveal Pakistan’s increasing paranoia, as it targets not only activists but also civilians and students who dare to speak out.

Global Condemnation and Pakistan’s Denial

Human rights groups, including Paank, have condemned these crimes and demanded the immediate release of all abducted individuals. They have also called on the international community to hold Pakistan accountable under international law.

Paank has urged the United Nations and global organizations to:

• Ensure Pakistan follows the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
• Enforce the United Nations Convention Against Enforced Disappearances.
• Pressure Pakistan to end illegal detentions and extrajudicial killings.

Despite claiming to be a democracy, Pakistan’s actions in Balochistan expose the reality of a military-controlled regime that thrives on oppression, fear, and systematic human rights abuses.

Balochistan: A Forgotten Genocide

For decades, Balochistan has suffered under Pakistan’s exploitative policies. The region’s vast natural resources have been plundered, while its people remain deprived of basic rights, political representation, and economic development.

Pakistan’s brutal tactics in Balochistan mirror its oppressive strategies in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). While the Pakistani government claims to uphold democratic values, its actions in Balochistan tell a different story—one of systematic genocide and suppression.

Will Pakistan Be Held Accountable?

The world can no longer afford to turn a blind eye to Pakistan’s crimes in Balochistan. Strong diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions, and international legal action are necessary to force Pakistan to stop its human rights violations.

The Baloch people deserve justice, dignity, and freedom. The international community must act now before Balochistan’s suffering is erased from history.

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