Pakistan forces enforce "disappearance" of rights activist Banda Khan Bugti amid Balochistan unrest

Quetta (Balochistan) [Pakistan], August 23 (ANI): Amid ongoing tensions in Balochistan, where Pakistani security forces have been accused of abducting Baloch human rights activists and peaceful protesters, a resident of the Dera Bugti district, Banda Khan Bugti, has allegedly been "forcibly disappeared" by Pakistani security forces in Quetta according to a report by The Balochistan Post.
The report states that Banda Khan Bugti, the son of Nazar Ali Bugti, was apprehended on August 15 in the Satellite Town area of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan,
Banda Kha was reportedly arrested shortly after leaving a mosque near his home, where he had been performing prayers. Since then, his whereabouts have remained unknown.
Enforced disappearances are a significant issue in Balochistan. Baloch activists, politicians, and human rights groups have long criticised such disappearances, describing them as a form of collective punishment. They have argued that such actions not only affect the individual but also cause immense distress to their families.
Earlier, on August 14, Riaz Ahmed Baloch, a singer, was reportedly forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces in Quetta. He was abducted in the evening at around 7 p.m. in Jinnah Town, Killi Shabo, allegedly due to his vocal criticism of Pakistani security forces.
Another individual, Javed Ali, a resident of the Mehnaz area of Buleda, went missing while travelling from Buleda to Turbat on July 31. His family has accused Pakistani security forces of being responsible for his disappearance.
In March 2024, Hafeez Baloch, a postgraduate student from a Pakistani university, disappeared while protesting against atrocities committed by Pakistani security forces.
Regions in Balochistan that have been severely affected by enforced disappearances include Quetta, Kech, Mashkay, and Awaran. In July 2024, several individuals were reported missing. Enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan are part of a trend known as the "kill and dump" policy. This tactic, allegedly used by Pakistani armed forces, involves abducting individuals, often activists or nationalists, and then executing them. (ANI)