Paank condemns fresh surge of enforced disappearances in Balochistan

Quetta [Balochistan] March 1 (ANI): Paank, the human rights department of the Baloch National Movement, has expressed concern regarding a new surge of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, where seven people were abducted between February 27 and 28, 2025. These disappearances, reportedly involving Pakistani forces, have caused distress among families and exacerbated the ongoing issue of missing persons in the area.
In a post shared by Paank on X, it was reported that four individuals Attaullah, Habib Ullah, Azum Qasim, and Hafeez Qasim--were forcibly taken from Rahot Mashkai in the Awaran district after being detained extrajudicially on February 27. On the same day, Javed Baloch, the son of Ghulam Jan, was seized from his farm in Shurodi, Mashkai Tehsil.
The subsequent night, on February 28, Takari Bahadur Kiyazai and his brother, Ali Raza Kiyazai, were abducted from their residence in the Western Bypass area of Quetta. Family members have reported that the abduction took place around 3 AM, noting that Takari Bahadur had previously been a victim of enforced disappearance, as stated in Paank's post.
Previously, Paank had vehemently condemned the enforced disappearance of eight individuals in Baghao and Barkahan in Balochistan, allegedly by Pakistani forces, on February 19, 2025.
Paank's statement on X emphasizes the systematic nature of these abductions, which deny individuals legal rights and leave their families without options for legal recourse. The organization has urged Pakistani authorities to reveal the whereabouts of the missing individuals, ensure their safe return, and to hold accountable those responsible for these acts.
The ongoing pattern of enforced disappearances in Balochistan represents a persistent human rights violation, with families and activists consistently seeking justice. Paank reiterated that such actions breach international human rights laws and called for an end to the prevailing impunity regarding enforced disappearances in the region.
Balochistan faces a range of difficulties, including state oppression, enforced disappearances, and the extrajudicial killings of activists, scholars, and civilians. The region suffers from economic neglect, marked by inadequate development, insufficient basic infrastructure, and limited political autonomy.(ANI)