Categories: World

Pakistani army abducting people across Balochistan in crackdown to avenge attacks

<p>
Pakistan has launched a massive crackdown on Baloch people after a series of daring attacks on its border forces that killed scores of troops. Media reports say that over a dozen people have been abducted by forces in just three days from across the province.</p>
<p>
In one of the latest abductions, Pakistani security forces reportedly took away four youngsters from Panjgur and Quetta and moved them to unknown locations. <a href="https://thebalochistanpost.net/2022/02/balochistan-over-a-dozen-people-abducted-by-forces-in-3-days/"><em>The Balochistan Post </em></a>says that their whereabouts are not known.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
Islamabad: Hundreds of students of Quaid-e-Azam University protested today for release of Baloch student Hafeez Baloch. Hafeez was taken away by secretive agencies from Khuzdar earlier this week and remains missing. <a href="https://t.co/gI9K3Rxy7c">pic.twitter.com/gI9K3Rxy7c</a></p>
— The Balochistan Post – English (@TBPEnglish) <a href="https://twitter.com/TBPEnglish/status/1491716384715419650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
In another incident, the newspaper says that the Pakistani forces raided the house of Haji Nisar Sarparra and took away his son Haroon Waleed Sarparra. "It is pertinent to mention that the Pakistani forces have reportedly apprehended more than ten individuals from the Sarparra family during several raids in Mastung, Nushki and Quetta. All of them remain missing to this day", reported the newspaper.<br />
<br />
The arrested people include former soldiers, students and people who have been critical of the Pakistani government and the military. Among the people arrested includes Nazeer Rehmat, the brother of the General Secretary of Baloch Students Organization, Mama Azeem Baloch.</p>
<p>
Geopolitical analyst and Pakistan watcher Mark Kinra told <em>India Narrative</em>: “Pakistan Army’s reaction of abducting Baloch nations was expected as a consequence of the massive attacks on the Panjgur and Noshki FC camps. “On the other hand, the Baloch also would have anticipated and prepared themselves for these reactions considering decades of enforced disappearances. Such reactions will only seek to bolster Baloch freedom struggle”.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
Enforced disappearances & killing of Baloch civilians has become a routine by Pakistani army and ISI in Balochistan.<br />
<br />
All this barbarism of Pakistan goes unnoticed because of media blackout in Balochistan.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://t.co/uG5b35bTy4">pic.twitter.com/uG5b35bTy4</a></p>
— Fazila Baloch🌺☀️ (@IFazilaBaloch) <a href="https://twitter.com/IFazilaBaloch/status/1491562785263788033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
<br />
In Khuzdar too, <a href="https://www.freepressjournal.in/education/baloch-university-student-disappeared-frombalochistans-khuzdar-city-reports">the forces detained Hafeez Baloch</a>, a final-year MPhil student in the Physics Department of the Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad.</p>
<p>
Kinra adds: “These arrests will not deter Baloch nationalist organisations from carrying out attacks in various parts of Balochistan including on check posts of the Pakistani Army. Pakistan PM Imran is raising salaries of Frontier Corps and Rangers by 15 per cent, as they guard most of the border areas and are the first targets of Baloch fighters. This increase in salaries shows that Pakistan is trying to keep up the morale of its soldiers who are otherwise being used as fodder by the establishment, considering that Pakistan is not looking for a solution to its Baloch problem”.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
A former Baloch personnel of Pakistani armed forces, Hashim Domki, was arrested and taken away by Pakistani secretive agencies on 6th Feb, his whereabouts remain unknown.<br />
<br />
There are rumours/allegations that Baloch rebels were helped by military insiders in Noshki and Panjgur. <a href="https://t.co/PsXUIgAnFq">pic.twitter.com/PsXUIgAnFq</a></p>
— The Balochistan Post – English (@TBPEnglish) <a href="https://twitter.com/TBPEnglish/status/1491429671736844290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
The military has launched a massive crackdown in the aftermath of the deadly siege on the Frontier Corps (FC) headquarters in Panjgur and Noshki that reportedly killed about 190 odd troops.</p>
<p>
"There is a feeling in the military establishment that such a devastating attack on the forces could not have happened without inside knowledge. The Pakistani military feels that vital insight was leaked to the Baloch armed groups which helped them take on well-equipped and highly trained Pakistani personnel for three days in their own camp", says an expert.</p>
<p>
Besides the abductions, the Pakistani forces are alleged to have randomly killed people during the tense situation that enveloped Panjgur last week. In Panjgur, the forces allegedly killed a young student identified as Ehtisham Sarwar. They allegedly also abducted and killed two individuals for breaking the curfew during the attack on the FC camp in Panjgur.<br />
<br />
With the internet down and a complete blackout on media, information about the tense situation in Balochistan is trickling through Baloch media organisations and the social media.</p>

Rahul Kumar

Rahul Kumar writes on international issues and is a keen watcher of South Asia, environment, urban development and NGOs.

Recent Posts

MEA condemns Canada’s “baseless references” against Home Minister Amit Shah

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday strongly protested against recent allegations made by…

7 hours ago

“Verification patrolling has commenced… in Demchok and Depsang”: MEA on disengagement between India and China

The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday said that verification patrolling has commenced in Demchok…

8 hours ago

“Sanctioned companies not in violation of Indian law,” says MEA after US sanctions 19 Indian companies

The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday reacted to the recent U.S. sanctions imposed on…

8 hours ago

Two terrorists killed in encounter with security forces in J-K’s Anantnag

Two terrorists were killed by security forces during an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag…

11 hours ago

“Not an issue of security lapses, security forces giving befitting reply”: Rajnath Singh on J-K terror attacks

Terming the recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir as "unfortunate", Union Defence Minister Rajnath…

12 hours ago

Nasirabad: BYC holds demonstrations against enforced disappearances by Pakistan’s forces

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) held demonstrations against the ongoing enforced disappearances by the Pakistan…

15 hours ago