Escalating cases of abductions in Balochistan: Families demand justice amid security crackdowns

Amid the ongoing unrest in Balochistan, a young man has reportedly gone missing after being detained by Pakistani forces in the Awaran district.

The Balochistan Post reported that Khan Muhammad, son of Wahid Baksh, was allegedly arrested by Pakistani security forces on August 15 in the Jhao Koharho area. Since then, his family has not received any information about his whereabouts.

The report further stated that his family has appealed to several human rights organizations, as well as political and social activists, for assistance in his release.

Earlier, Riaz Ahmed Baloch, a singer, was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces in Quetta. He was abducted on the evening of August 14 at 7 pm.

Baloch, a resident of Jinnah Town, Killi Shabo, is believed to have been targeted due to his singing. His family plans to hold a press conference to demand his release and will announce further actions if he is not freed.

In March 2024, Hafeez Baloch, a postgraduate student from a Pakistani university, disappeared while protesting against atrocities committed by Pakistani security forces.

Another person, Javed Ali, a resident of the Mehnaz area of Buleda, went missing while travelling from Buleda to Turbat on July 31, 2024. The victim’s family has accused Pakistani security forces of forcibly disappearing the youth.

The regions most affected by enforced disappearances are Quetta, Kech, Mashkay, and Awaran. In July, several individuals were reported missing. Enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan are part of a troubling trend known as the “kill and dump” policy. This tactic–reportedly used by state actors such as Pakistani intelligence agencies and security forces–involves abducting individuals, often activists or nationalists, and then executing them, The Balochistan Post reported.

Enforced disappearances are a recurring issue in Balochistan. Reports suggest that more than 55,000 people are missing across the region. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have accused Pakistani forces and intelligence agencies of responsibility for these disappearances.