Human rights groups condemn Baloch social activist Jameel Umar’s disappearance

Several human rights organisations have raised concerns over the enforced disappearance of Jameel Umar, a social leader from Balochistan province.

On Friday, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) released a statement expressing deep concern about reports of the missing Baloch civil society activist Jameel Umar.

According to the HRCP statement posted on X, “Jameel Umar was on his way to Turbat when unknown gunmen opened fire on his car and abducted him. We demand their immediate recovery and the assailants be identified and brought to justice.”

On the international level, the Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB), a non-profit organisation operating in Balochistan, Sweden, and France, issued a statement, detailing the abduction of Jameel Umar, the Deputy Convener of the Turbat Civil Society and a well-known social activist.

The incident reportedly occurred when Jameel was travelling from Kolwah near Balur to Turbat. He was accompanied by his friend, Sana Baloch. Sources suggest that armed assailants on a motorcycle opened fire on their vehicle and forcibly abducted them.

Another social rights organisation, the Human Rights Department of the Baloch National Movement, strongly condemned the abduction of Jameel Umar by armed individuals.

The organisation labelled this brazen attack on social activists as a flagrant violation of human rights and demanded their immediate release. They also called for accountability for those responsible.

Enforced abductions and extrajudicial killings have been regularly occurring in Pakistan, allegedly orchestrated by the security forces. The incidents are frequent in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Previously, a similar incident occurred involving Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen. The incident took place as Pashteen was attempting to travel to Turbat from the border of Chaman in the Balochistan province in December last year. He was also arrested immediately after the open fire incident.

According to a report by The Express Tribune from December last year, the incident occurred as Pashteen was attempting to travel to Turbat from Chaman, where he was scheduled to address participants of a sit-in.