Balochistan: Pakistani forces abduct Baloch writer from Panjgur

QUETTA: Pakistani forces have abducted a Baloch writer from Chitkan area of district Panjgur Balochistan on Saturday midnight.

According to details, Pakistani Para-military forces raided the house of Iqbal Zaheer son of late Abdul Sattar Baloch in Chitakn and abducted him around 12 am Saturday midnight. Iqbal Zaheer Baloch is a freelance writer, social activist and teacher.

The forces also reportedly confiscated the laptop and books of Mr Zaheer and broke the furniture of his house.

In August 2010 Pakistani forces abducted Iqbal’s father master Abdul Sattar Baloch from Zaheer Medical store in Panjgur and kept him incommunicado for around ten months. Master Sattar mutilated and tortured dead body was found on May 11, 2011, from Panjgur.

In 2013 Iqab Zaheer son of Master Abdul Sattar was abducted and kept in illegal custody for around one month but he was released later.

Panjgur is among the restive districts of Balochistan where Pakistani forces have already abducted hundreds of people and many of whom were killed in custody.

July last year (2018) a mass grave containing four dead bodies was discovered in Panjgur, one of the dead bodies was identified as that of Khair Bakhsh Baloch who was abducted in June 2014. A Pakistani military official called his family and informed them that his dead body was among them.

The dead bodies were decomposed beyond recognition and his family had no other way of confirming his identity but to believe the Pakistani military official.

Lately, Pakistani forces have started abducting and intimidating the family members of previously abducted and killed Baloch activists.

On 17 June Ali Haidar son of abducted Mohammad Ramzan Baloch was abducted and kept in illegal custody for five days and on 19 June Pakistani forces abducted 70-year-old Shahsowar Baloch – father of four Baloch martyrs.

Both Ali Haidar and Shahsowar were released yesterday 21 June 2019.

Ali Haidar told BBC Urdu service that first day of his abduction he was slapped on the face and kicked but rest of the days he was only kept in a segregated room and questioned about the long march in 2013. He was also questioned about the people who hosted the Baloch marchers on their way to Islamabad.