Quetta [Balochistan], May 18 : Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, expressed strong disapproval of the clandestine and disrespectful burial of three Baloch youths by Pakistani security forces in the Dannuk region of Turbat, Balochistan.
As reported in a post by Paank on X, on Tuesday morning, family members of the victims discovered the burial locations of their sons in Aslam Shah Cemetery and started the exhumation process. The three young men were killed the previous month during a confrontation with Pakistani forces. Their families were not notified of their deaths, and the bodies were interred without consent, identification, or announcement, in blatant violation of fundamental human rights and international humanitarian standards.
At least one body was exhumed by the families and subsequently reburied following Baloch cultural practices and the dignity every person deserves in death. The procedure confirmed the identities of the deceased individuals, as mentioned in the post.
Security forces and local police sought to obstruct the exhumation, causing distress and intimidation, particularly towards the women involved. Such actions signify a severe breach of the rights to truth, justice, and dignity and exacerbate the psychological trauma already endured by the victims' families, as highlighted in Paank's post.
Paank has confirmed that the graves at Aslam Shah Cemetery were utilised to obscure extrajudicial killings and to deny families their rights to mourn, identify, and lay their loved ones to rest. This trend mirrors the broader, systematic human rights violations occurring in Balochistan, which encompass enforced disappearances, custodial killings, and denial of due process.
Paank urged international human rights organisations, including the United Nations and global civil society, to urgently and seriously address these violations. The Pakistani government must be held responsible for its ongoing campaign of violence, secrecy, and repression in Balochistan.
Balochistan faces ongoing human rights violations, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and suppression of dissent. Security forces and insurgent groups are both accused of abuses. Civilians often suffer amid conflict, with limited media access and accountability. International concern grows, but effective intervention and justice remain elusive for many victims.
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