Paank condemns extrajudicial killing of Baloch civilian Hanif Aziz Baloch by Pakistani forces in Awaran

Balochistan [Pakistan], May 25 (ANI): Paank, a rights organisation in Balochistan, has condemned the unlawful detention and extrajudicial killing of Hanif Aziz Baloch, a young Baloch civilian, by Pakistani security forces in the Awaran district of Balochistan.
According to a post by Paank on X, this tragic event took place on the evening of May 23, 2025, in the Jahoo Toboo Kad region, highlighting the ongoing and systematic human rights violations faced by the Baloch population.

State Violence and Impunity in Balochistan: The Unlawful Killing of Hanif Aziz Baloch

Paank strongly condemns the illegal detention and extrajudicial execution of Hanif Aziz Baloch, a young Baloch civilian, by Pakistani security forces in the Awaran district of Balochistan. This… pic.twitter.com/waASVKqu9h

— Paank (@paank_bnm) May 23, 2025

Paank stated that Hanif Aziz Baloch was abducted from his home by state forces without any lawful justification, warrant, or due process. His family received no information regarding his location. The following morning, his body, bearing signs of torture and gunshot wounds, was found discarded in a field, according to Paank's post.
Paank's message indicated that the situation involving Hanif Aziz Baloch was not an isolated case. It is part of a larger trend of state-sponsored violence in Balochistan that encompasses enforced disappearances, torture in custody, collective punishment, and targeted assassinations. These serious violations occur with impunity, disguised as actions for national security, and with almost no mechanisms for accountability in place.
"Pakistan is a signatory to key international human rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The ICCPR, in particular, guarantees the right to life, the right to liberty and security of a person, and the right to a fair trial. These protections are further reinforced by Articles 9 and 10 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which prohibit arbitrary arrest and guarantee the right to life and due process. The killing of Hanif Aziz Baloch is in direct violation of these legal safeguards," Paank's post said.
Despite numerous appeals from international human rights organisations, such as the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, the Pakistani government continued to act without accountability in Balochistan, as highlighted by Paank's statement.
Paank urged the global community, human rights activists, journalists, and policymakers to raise their voices against the pervasive violations occurring in Balochistan. "We demand an independent international inquiry into the murder of Hanif Aziz Baloch and comparable incidents, as well as for the Pakistani government to be held responsible for its serious human rights abuses." (ANI)