Balochistan [Pakistan], May 24 : Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, strongly denounced the recent incidents of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detentions carried out by the Pakistani military in the Awaran district of Balochistan.
As mentioned in a post by Paank on X, on the night of May 17, Pakistani military personnel forcibly invaded the home of Levies officer Younus Rasool, son of Rasool Bakhsh, located in the Malar Bangul Bazar region. Without showing a warrant or legal grounds, they took Younus Rasool into custody. Reports indicate that during this operation, his family members were subjected to torture and intimidation by armed forces.
Just two days later, on May 20, Sajid Baloch, son of Nasir Baloch, was also abducted from his residence in the Gushanag Kolwah area of Awaran. His dead body, displaying evident signs of severe abuse, was discovered nearby the following morning, according to Paank's post.
Paank's message emphasised that these acts are not isolated events. Instead, they reflect a larger and deeply rooted issue of state violence in Balochistan, which primarily targets civilians, activists, and community leaders under the guise of national security.
Residents in Awaran continue to endure a pervasive atmosphere of fear regarding surveillance, acts of violence, and illegal detentions. Military operations are executed with complete disregard for legal norms, frequently leading to enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings. Victims are often held without communication, denied access to legal support, leaving their families unaware of their status or location, as reported by Paank.
The message from Paank asserted that these actions violate Pakistan's constitutional rights and its international commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), particularly Articles 6 (right to life), 7 (prohibition of torture), and 9 (liberty and security of person).
The occurrences in Awaran constitute serious violations of international human rights law. Arbitrary detentions followed by torture in custody and extrajudicial killings undermine the rights of the individuals involved and damage the rule of law, eroding any notion of justice or accountability in the area, highlighted Paank's post.
Paank urges the international community, including the United Nations, human rights organisations, and civil society, to promptly compel the Pakistani government to put an end to all forms of arbitrary detention and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan.
"We emphasise that the Baloch people's fight for justice, dignity, and self-determination cannot be suppressed through violence. Paank stands with the victims' families and will persist in documenting and revealing these severe human rights violations," stated Paank on X.
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