Quetta, Dec 18 A Baloch human rights activist has called on the global community to intervene in the enforced disappearance of her brother Shafiq Zehri at the hands of Pakistani forces in Balochistan.
This latest act comes against the backdrop of a continuing cycle of persecution marked by a surge in enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and torture across the province.
In a video shared on the social media platform X on Thursday by the human rights body Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ), Farida Baloch said that her brother, a professor working at the Hub Recovery Centre, was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani intelligence officials on Wednesday. She asserted that Shafiq has no involvement in any illegal activity and that his work focused on education and recovery.
“This act violates basic human rights and the rule of law. It targets an unarmed civilian whose only role is to serve his community,” she stated.
Fareeda urged international human rights organisations, UN mechanisms, and civil society to act without delay. She appealed to the people of Balochistan to stand united and raise their voices, demanding the immediate and safe release of Shafiq
Condemning the incident, another human rights organisation, Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, said, “This act reflects collective punishment aimed at silencing dissent. Paank holds the authorities responsible for Shafiq’s safety and demands his immediate release, urging national and international human rights bodies to look into this grave violation.”
In a separate incident of extrajudicial killing in Balochistan, the rights body Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) on Tuesday stated that the tortured body of Khalil Ahmed, a serving employee of Pakistan’s police and a resident of Panjgur district, was discovered on December 13 from the Chakul Kalag area in the province, hours after his enforced disappearance by Pakistani intelligence agencies and security personnel.
“The killing of Khalil Ahmed has raised grave concerns over the collapse of the rule of law and the worsening security of human life in Balochistan. His enforced disappearance and subsequent death reflect the ongoing cycle of violence and impunity, where even serving state employees are not spared. This situation demands urgent international attention and accountability to prevent further human rights violations and collective suffering,” the BYC stated.
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