Harnai [Pakistan], June 7 : The bodies of four men were found dumped along Sanjawi Road in the Harnai district of Balochistan on Thursday, in what Pakistani security forces claimed was the result of an intelligence-based operation against "armed militants."
According to The Balochistan Post, the bodies were recovered from the Thor Khan area.
Among the deceased was Saeed Marri, a previously forcibly disappeared individual, who had reportedly been abducted along with his two sons. His elder son, Abdul Nabi Marri, was found dead on April 18 in Dukki, while his younger son, Waris Marri, was also killed, with his body recovered from Sanjawi on May 1. Authorities previously claimed both sons died in armed encounters, claims widely rejected by rights activists who insist the three were in custody at the time of their deaths.
Another victim identified on Thursday was Eid Muhammad Marri, who had allegedly been missing for three months after being arrested by security forces in Harnai. His family maintains he was held incommunicado and later executed.
The recovery of these bodies, all bearing bullet wounds, has intensified suspicions of a recurring pattern in Balochistan, where forcibly disappeared individuals are killed and later presented as insurgents neutralised in encounters. Families and activists accuse the state of staging "fake encounters" to cover up custodial killings.
In a related incident, Sayed Manzoor Shah of Mastung held a press conference at Sarawan Press Club, alleging that his son, Sayed Ihsan Shah, was shot dead by Frontier Corps personnel near Lakpass while visiting Quetta for Eid shopping. Initially informed it was a road accident, but Shah later discovered his son had been shot.
These incidents come amid heightened scrutiny of Pakistan's newly amended Anti-Terrorism Act in Balochistan, which grants sweeping powers to security forces. Critics argue the law facilitates impunity, further enabling extrajudicial practices under the guise of counter-insurgency.
Human rights organisations have urged independent investigations and accountability, warning that without reform, Balochistan's cycle of violence will persist.
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