Balochistan witnesses surge in extrajudicial killings as twelve bodies found in two days

A sharp rise in alleged extrajudicial killings of forcibly disappeared individuals in Balochistan has sparked widespread concern, with reports indicating at least 12 deaths in what families and human rights organizations are labeling as “staged encounters” over the past two days, as reported by the Balochistan Post.

Reports from Barkhan, Khuzdar, Mashkay, and Buleda suggest that security forces have killed several previously missing persons in disputed clashes.

According to the Balochistan Post, families and local sources asserted that these individuals were in state custody prior to their executions and subsequent dumping of their bodies.

In the most recent incident, three bullet-riddled bodies were discovered on Monday in Mehma Samand Khan, Barkhan. The victims–Haq Nawaz Buzdar, Shero Buzdar, and Gul Zaman Buzdar–were identified as members of the Buzdar tribe.

Local sources said Haq Nawaz had been taken from his home in Musakhel on April 5, while Shero had been missing for nine months. Gul Zaman had also reportedly been in custody before his death. Security forces have not issued any statement regarding a clash in the area, the Balochistan Post cited.

In Buleda’s Gardank area, two young men, Mehrab and Khan Mohammad, were allegedly detained from their homes on April 6 and killed shortly thereafter. Both victims’ families claim they were tortured before being killed. Authorities have reportedly refused to return their bodies, fueling unrest in the region.

Additionally, on April 5, security forces claimed to have killed three individuals in a clash in Baghbana, Khuzdar. One of the deceased, Abdul Malik, a 28-year-old from Kohing, Kalat, had been forcibly disappeared from Turbat on October 11, 2024.

On the same day, three other bodies were found in Mashkay, all showing signs of gunshot wounds. Families and activists accuse the state of carrying out extrajudicial executions and abandoning the bodies.

Another incident occurred on April 6 when Nadir Baloch was abducted from his home in Kandhari, Mashkay, during a security force raid. His bullet-riddled body was found the next day in a remote area, the Balochistan Post reported.

These events are part of an ongoing pattern in Balochistan, where families of missing persons and Baloch political groups accuse security forces of staging fake encounters following enforced disappearances. While authorities often claim the deceased were linked to armed groups, families and human rights defenders reject these assertions, calling the killings state-sanctioned and unlawful.

Rights organizations have long demanded transparency and independent investigations into these deaths, but accountability remains elusive as the cycle of disappearances and violence continues.