Incidents of Enforced Disappearances
In December 2024, 22 individuals were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan. Enforced disappearances of Baloch citizens continue to be carried out by the Pakistan Army and affiliated agencies, particularly targeting Baloch youth. This reflects a persistent and alarming trend in the region. Pakistani forces, including state agencies, forcibly detained 22 people across Balochistan, predominantly targeting Baloch youths.
Extrajudicial Killings
The Pakistan Army engages in extrajudicial killings, directly and indirectly, to evade legal repercussions and possible public backlash. According to the Army’s notorious “kill-and-dump” policy, detailed in the secretive ‘Operation Silence’, thousands of Baloch individuals have been extrajudicially executed following enforced disappearances, with their bodies later abandoned.
In regions where the military takes an active stance in political conflicts, the rule of law dissolves, and state institutions succumb to systemic lawlessness. In Balochistan, the Pakistan military positions itself against the Baloch National Liberation Movement, often responding to insurgent attacks by targeting innocent civilians to instil widespread fear through collective punishment.
Supporting the military’s agenda are criminal collaborators who, with the military ‘ s assistance, form death squads. These squads operate to uphold the Pakistan Army ‘ s political, military, and economic interests, often rewarded with immunity from criminal charges, including theft, robbery, drug trafficking, and extortion.
Statistics of Enforced Disappearances
The following districts reported cases of enforced disappearances and illegal detentions in December 2024:
Analysis of Enforced Disappearances in December 2024
In December 2024, 22 cases of enforced disappearances were recorded across six districts of Balochistan. The targeting of individuals in both rural and urban areas highlights the widespread nature of these human rights abuses.
These disappearances represent a deeply rooted pattern of repression, leaving families to endure uncertainty and anguish. While 22 cases have been documented, the actual number is likely higher due to fear and stigma preventing many from reporting such incidents.
This persistent campaign of enforced disappearances calls for urgent international attention and intervention. It serves as a stark reminder of the human suffering caused by these violations and the critical need to hold those responsible to account.
Extrajudicial Killings December 2024
In December 2024, five individuals were extrajudicially killed across two districts of Balochistan. All the victims were young, highlighting the alarming trend of targeting youth in these killings.
These extrajudicial killings reflect a broader pattern of violence and repression, with the state continuing to use force to suppress dissent and instil fear within the community. The victims ‘ families are left to cope with the devastating loss, while the perpetrators remain unaccountable.
This ongoing violence emphasises the need for immediate international attention and intervention. It is crucial that those responsible for such crimes are held to account and that the international community takes a firm stand against these violations.
Three extrajudicial killings were reported in Panjgoor, and two in Kech district. Naveed Hameed and Zareed Omerwere extra-judicially killed in Kech, while Abdul Majeed, Zakir Baloch, and Dil Jan Baloch were extra-judicially killedin Panjgoor district. These incidents highlight the brutal tactics employed by the state and expose the systematic,targeted nature of state violence in Balochistan. The ongoing atrocities emphasise the urgent need forinternational scrutiny and intervention to put an end to such violations.
Analysis and Key Findings
The human rights report for December 2024 highlights a grave and systematic crisis in Balochistan, where severe violations occurred within a single month. The reported incidents illustrate a disturbing pattern of state-led oppression carried out by Pakistani forces and affiliated agencies.
Enforced Disappearances:
The continued disappearances of Baloch people, including students, reveal a pattern of state-sponsored abductions carried out with impunity by the Pakistan Army and affiliated agencies. Despite the widespread international condemnation, Pakistani authorities remain largely unaccountable for these actions, and local courts appear ineffective in addressing these violations. The targeting of students points to a deliberate attempt to suppress dissent and stifle the future of Baloch youth.
Extrajudicial Killings:
The use of death squads, often in collaboration with the military, to execute extrajudicial killings serves as a method of state control and punishment. These killings are presented as part of a broader strategy to undermine the Baloch National Liberation Movement and intimidate the civilian population. The “kill-and- dump ” policy, under which Baloch individuals are executed and discarded, shows the extreme measures taken by the state to eliminate opposition without facing legal repercussions.
Torture and Unidentified Bodies
Torture Victims: 29 individuals reported as torture victims.
Such incidents reveal that torture remains a common tool used during illegal detentions, while unidentified bodies signify a lack of accountability and state efforts to obscure evidence.
State Implication and Regional Impact State Implication and Regional Impact
- Perpetrators: The violations were carried out by Pakistani forces, including military, state-backed agencies, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), and state-backed death squads.
- Targeting Civilians: The majority of victims are civilians, including minors, fishermen, and displaced persons.
Conclusion
The December 2024 human rights report highlights the continued crisis of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan. In just one month, 22 individuals were forcibly disappeared, and five were killed extrajudicially, reflecting a sustained pattern of violence perpetrated by the Pakistani state.
As the year ended, it brought with it the loss of innocent lives, untold misery to affected families, and continued violence inflicted by the state.
This underscores the urgent need for:
- International human rights monitoring and intervention.
- Justice for victims and accountability for those responsible.
- Increased awareness and global action to address the ongoing human rights violations in Balochistan.
These abuses are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic campaign targeting the Baloch population, demanding
immediate attention from the international community.