Pakistan: Young lawyer from Balochistan unlawfully detained by security agencies

Quetta, July 24 A young advocate from the Balochistan province has been unlawfully detained by Pakistan's Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and intelligence agencies after being picked up from his residence in Quetta, a leading human rights group said on Thursday.

Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, mentioned that Hakeem Baloch was illegally detained by personnel of CTD and intelligence agencies from his residence at Brewery Road in front of his family members in the early hours of Thursday.

The human rights body firmly demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the young lawyer whose whereabouts in the provincial capital are not known yet.

Condemning the illegal detention, another human rights body, Baloch Voice for Justice, stated that "the forced disappearance of Hakeem, a promising young lawyer from Quetta, highlights the alarming reality that even educated professionals are not safe from enforced disappearances".

Nadia Baloch, sister of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) Central Organiser Mahrang Baloch, expressed shock over the incident stating that no one is safe in Pakistan, even the ones who uphold the law.

"Very disturbing to find out that Advocate Hakeem Baloch was subjected to enforced disappearance from Quetta last night. No one is safe from the state’s wrath, not even those who uphold the law of this country. And we are seeing a dramatic surge in enforced disappearances following illegal detention of Mahrang Baloch, and other BYC leadership after March 22," Nadia posted on X.

"Hakeem is a recent law graduate and a practicing lawyer. His only "crime" is that he is Baloch, educated, and vocal about Baloch rights. He has actively defended Baloch rights activists and political workers, and aspired to use his legal education to fight for Baloch rights within the framework of the law. A whole generation of educated Baloch is now facing the brunt of state repression. The lawyer fraternity must stand with Hakeem. It's him today. It could be someone else tomorrow," the post added.

Meanwhile, the BYC revealed that another Baloch youth Noor Khan has also become the victim of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killing by a Pakistan-backed death squad.

The BYC highlighted that hours after the enforced disappearance of Noor on July 21 by the state death squads from the Jhal Jahoo area of Awaran district in Balochistan, his bullet-riddled body was recovered in the same locality.

"The killing of Noor Khan, like many others in the region, reflects the escalating violence and impunity with which Pakistan’s military and intelligence-backed militias operate in Balochistan. The systematic targetting of peaceful civilians has intensified, deepening the trauma of Baloch people already under siege by enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions," the BYC stated, raising concerns.

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