9 Baloch men forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces: Report
Pakistani security personnel have reportedly forcibly disappeared nine Baloch men from two separate regions of Balochistan, according to local media outlet The Balochistan Post (TBP). The alleged abductions have intensified concerns over the ongoing human rights crisis in the volatile province.According to TBP, two residents of Pasni -- Yar Jan and Sher Jan, both from Babbar Shor Ward No. 1 -- were detained and taken to an unknown location. Their families have received no information about their whereabouts.advertisementIn a separate incident on Monday morning, Pakistani forces reportedly raided homes in the Dasht Balnigor district of Kech, where locals described aggressive searches and harassment of women and children. Seven young men -- identified as Naveed, Salman, Haneef, Naseer, Afraz, Kamal, and Phullain -- were also detained and similarly disappeared. The TBP report pointed that "enforced disappearances have long been a contentious problem in Balochistan," with families routinely facing "daylight abductions that occur without warrants or formal charges, leaving them with no legal recourse."
Human rights organisations have repeatedly condemned the Pakistani government's handling of dissent in Balochistan. Amnesty International, in a recent statement, asserted that enforced disappearances "run contrary to Pakistan's international human rights obligations" and called for prompt investigations and the immediate release of detainees.Activists claim that laws like the Anti-Terrorism Act and special security ordinances are often misused to arrest civilians, particularly Baloch students, political activists, and journalists. "Military courts and special tribunals frequently try Baloch activists without fair trial standards, further denying them justice," the report noted.With inputs from ANIMust Watch
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