Balochistan: Pakistan security forces reportedly kill enforced disappearance survivor

Reports have emerged of the killing of Wafa Baloch, a resident of Paroom tehsil in Panjgur district, allegedly by Pakistani paramilitary forces near the Goldsmith Line, which marks the border between Iran and Pakistan’s Balochistan, according to The Balochistan Post.

In a post on X, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) stated, “On February 26, 2025, Wafa Baloch, son of Allah Bakhsh, a resident of Parom tehsil, Panjgur district, was extrajudicially executed by Pakistani paramilitary forces near the Iran-Pakistan border. Wafa had previously endured six months of enforced disappearance and illegal detention by Pakistani security agencies. Despite his release from a Pakistani torture cell, the trauma inflicted on his family persisted. Tragically, he was shot and killed while simply earning a livelihood as a border driver–targeted solely for being Baloch.”

The BYC has condemned the incident, urging the international community and human rights organisations to take immediate notice of the ongoing violations in Balochistan and hold Pakistani authorities accountable for alleged extrajudicial killings and disappearances, The Balochistan Post reported.

BYC highlighted, “In Balochistan, the ongoing genocide against the Baloch people has reached alarming levels. Pakistani security forces, intelligence agencies, and state-backed militias routinely target, disappear, and execute civilians, turning systematic oppression into a daily reality.”

While there has been no official response from Pakistani security agencies, these claims align with previous reports of similar abuses in the region. Human rights groups and local activists have long raised concerns about the escalating violence, calling for greater international intervention to address the deteriorating situation in Balochistan.

Enforced disappearances of Baloch individuals in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, continue to be a serious issue. The Baloch community faces ongoing persecution by state security forces, instilling widespread fear among the population and exacerbating concerns about their safety and human rights in the region.