Pakistan's Frontier Corps, intelligence agencies continue to abduct and kill people in Balochistan

Quetta, Dec 25 A leading human rights organisation on Thursday highlighted grave and systematic abuses, including enforced disappearances and targetted killings across Balochistan, allegedly carried out by Pakistani forces in a pervasive climate of impunity.

According to a report by the Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB), 106 new cases of enforced disappearance and 42 killings were recorded in the province during the last month.

“Among those killed were 11 individuals who had previously been disappeared, five who were abducted during the same month, and six who had gone missing in earlier months. Only 12 of those taken during November were later released, while the vast majority remain unaccounted for,” the rights body stated.

The HRCB alleged that Pakistan's Frontier Corps were involved in the largest number of abductions, with 60 cases documented. Additionally, Pakistani intelligence agencies were implicated in 23 cases, followed by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) with 17, while the state-backed death squads were responsible for six abductions.

Among all the districts in Balochistan, Kech recorded the highest number of abductions with 20 cases, followed by Quetta with 16 cases, while Panjgur and Dera Bugti each recorded 14 abductions.

Gwadar reported 10 cases of enforced disappearances, and Karachi accounted for 7. Additional abductions were reported from Mastung, Khuzdar, Kohlu, Hub, Awaran, Surab, Chagai, DG Khan, and Kalat.

As per the findings, in November, a total of 42 killings were documented across the province, comprising 39 men and 3 women. The identities of five victims, including three women, could not be confirmed.

“Target killings accounted for 11 cases, followed by custodial killings involving 10 victims. In addition, 10 dead bodies were discovered. Honour killings accounted for 4 cases, while airstrike-related killings also accounted for 4 cases. Indiscriminate firing resulted in 2 deaths, and one individual later succumbed to injuries,” the HRCB noted.

On Wednesday, Baloch families staged a sit-in protest against the enforced disappearance of four members of the same family in Balochistan's Kech district, blocking a key stretch of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) highway for the second consecutive day, The Balochistan Post reported.

The demonstration held at Karki Tejaban and Heronk in Kech disrupted two-way traffic between Turbat, Quetta, Panjgur, Awaran, Kolwah and Hoshap, resulting in long queues of vehicles along the route.

The victims included two women, 27-year-old Hani Dilwash, who is eight months pregnant; 17-year-old Hairnisa; and two men, 18-year-old Mujahid Dilwash; and 18-year-old Fareed Ijaz.

Extending support to the affected families, human rights activist and Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Sammi Deen Baloch took to her social media platform X, warning that enforced disappearances in Balochistan have entered a serious and alarming stage, with women and girls increasingly becoming victims of this oppression.

“The constitution and law are being used for the enforced disappearances of Baloch people; what can the people of Balochistan do? For these affected families, there is no path other than protest. We request all schools of thought to stand with this family and raise their voice for them,” she stated.

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