1. Enforced Disappearances
Pakistani forces continue to commit widespread human rights violations in Balochistan. With each passing day, the intensity of war crimes against the Baloch nation escalates. Despite months of ongoing protests against these abuses, there has been no decrease in torture, collective punishment, or enforced disappearances.
In August 2024, cases of enforced disappearances were reported from Karachi and 11 districts of Balochistan. Kech district saw the highest number, with 15 individuals forcibly disappeared. In total, 44 people were abducted across Balochistan by the Pakistan army and its affiliated agencies, many of whom remain forcibly disappeared.
2. Extrajudicial Killings
The series of extrajudicial killings by Pakistani forces in Balochistan continued in various forms. The Pakistan army targets people of all ages and genders for its unclear objectives, with young people being the primary victims. After brutal torture in detention cells, many are killed, and their mutilated bodies are discarded.
This brutal practice persisted throughout August. In Baluchistan’s Khuzdar district, five detained individuals were killed in staged encounters, and their bodies were sent to Civil Hospital Khuzdar. Four of the victims have been identified, while one body remains unidentified in the morgue.
In August, Pakistani forces fired indiscriminately on civilians at three different locations in Balochistan. These incidents resulted in the deaths of Zakir Kannar Baloch, the deputy commissioner of Panjgur district; Abdul Khaliq, a schoolmaster in the Malar area of Awaran district; and Sitarah Baloch, a five-year-old girl from the Dandar area of Kolwah. A woman was injured during firing at a village (Reko) in Tehsil Buleda of Kech.
On August 27, the Frontier Corps (FC) summoned two young men, Sajjad Baloch and Kamran Baloch, to their camp in Panjgur district. They were coerced to sign a false affidavit stating they had been associated with armed organizations against the state of Pakistan and were now surrendering. The youths refused to sign the document. Upon being released, gunmen in an official vehicle shot and killed them shortly after they left the FC camp.
3. Cross-border Actions by Pakistani Forces
The Pakistan army, through its secret agencies and proxies, is responsible for criminal activities not only against the Baloch within its borders but also for killing and abducting Baloch refugees in neighbouring countries Iran and Afghanistan. Thousands of families, fleeing Pakistani atrocities, have sought refuge in Western Balochistan, where the Pakistani military, with the help of criminals, continues to target them. As a result of Pakistan’s inhumane policies, Baloch refugees are living in economic hardship and constant fear, with thousands of families facing daily threats and instability.
On August 4, 2024, Sabir Baloch, son of Dad shah and a resident of Awaran District, was killed by Pakistani agents in Sarawan, Western Balochistan (Iran-administered). His family had fled their native Awaran due to the fear of extrajudicial arrest, murder, and enforced disappearance by Pakistani forces.
In another incident, on August 28, 2024, Akhtar Baloch, son of Muhammad and a resident of Gomazi, Tump in Kech District, was killed in the Dashtiyari area of Western Balochistan.
The Baloch refugees in Western Balochistan, who are subjected to continuous targeted killings, are deprived of legal, constitutional, and social protection, worsening the conditions of these stateless individuals. Despite repeated appeals, international organizations and relevant authorities have been unable to provide adequate humanitarian assistance.
Baloch refugees must be granted official refugee status in Afghanistan and Iran, with protection overseen by international human rights organizations. Just as Afghan refugees were given recognition and aid in Iran and Pakistan during the Afghan conflicts, Baloch refugees should receive the same status and support. Furthermore, the Pakistani army must be held accountable for its actions against Baloch refugees within the borders of Iran and Afghanistan.
4. Assassination Attempt of Abid WashDil
In Turbat, the main city of Kech district in Balochistan, a young man named Abid, son of WashDil, was shot and seriously injured by a death squad supported by the Pakistan army. Abid Baloch had been forcibly disappeared by the Pakistan Army and was recover on March 21, 2023.
This attack was an attempt on his life, but fortunately, he survived. However, due to financial hardship, he is unable to afford the necessary medical treatment and has appealed to charitable individuals for assistance through social media.
In the past, individuals who were forcibly disappeared or acquitted by the courts have often faced re-abductions or extrajudicial killings. The Pakistan army continues to use targeted killings as a tool to eliminate those they consider undesirable for a range of undisclosed reasons.
It is crucial to ensure the physical and mental recovery of victims of enforced disappearances, protect their lives and property, and help them reintegrate as ordinary citizens in society. Human rights organizations must take active steps in this regard.
Paank is committed to compiling comprehensive reports on human rights violations using all available resources to gather accurate statistics. Our efforts to highlight these issues will continue.
Statistics of Enforced Disappearances
The following districts reported cases of enforced disappearances and illegal detentions in August 2024:
| District | Cases |
|---|---|
| Kech | 15 |
| Awaran | 1 |
| Khuzdar | 2 |
| Mastung | 2 |
| Quetta | 6 |
| Kalat | 1 |
| Gwadar | 3 |
| Kharan | 3 |
| Karachi | 5 |
| Barkhan | 3 |
| Lasbella | 1 |
| Panjgur | 3 |
| Total Cases | 44 |