QUETTA, Pakistan – In a chilling escalation of violence against civilians in Balochistan, the Baloch National Movement’s human rights wing, Paank, has accused Pakistani security forces of forcibly disappearing another young Baloch man. Umar Baloch was allegedly snatched from his home in the Mand Koh area of Kech district late Thursday night, with no warrant or explanation provided.
Local sources cited by Paank paint a grim picture: armed soldiers stormed the residence, dragged Umar away into the darkness, and left the family in anguish without any information on his whereabouts. This incident underscores a disturbing pattern of enforced disappearances plaguing the restive province, where Baloch activists claim the military is systematically targeting the local population to suppress dissent.
Paank has issued a vehement condemnation, demanding Umar’s immediate location disclosure, unconditional release, and presentation before a court. ‘We urge national and international human rights bodies to intervene and hold those responsible accountable for these blatant violations of global legal standards,’ the organization stated in a press release.
The case echoes recent outcries from Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ), another rights group that slammed the rising tide of abductions across Balochistan. BVJ described these acts as ‘grave human rights abuses’ and part of a deliberate policy to intimidate the Baloch people. They referenced a cluster of five recent disappearances, attributing them directly to the Pakistani army.
Adding to the horror, Paank also mourned the confirmed custodial killing of Zarif Baloch from Awaran district. Zarif’s bullet-riddled body was discovered on January 6 in the Nondara area after he had been missing for over three months since September 29, 2025. Rights advocates allege security forces raided his home in Siyakal, Malar area, and abducted him without legal process.
‘These extrajudicial killings and disappearances form a continuous pattern that contravenes international human rights law,’ Paank asserted. BVJ has called on the global community, rights organizations, and Pakistani courts to investigate, assign blame, and secure the release of all missing persons. As tensions simmer in Balochistan, these allegations spotlight the urgent need for accountability in a region long marred by conflict and opacity.
