Balochistan: Enforced Disappearances Continue Amid Rising Concerns

QUETTA: The troubling pattern of enforced disappearances continues in Balochistan, with several new abductions reported from different regions. Over the past few days, Pakistani forces have arrested and forcibly disappeared multiple individuals.

On December 6, four individuals were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces from the Panjgur district in Balochistan. The missing persons have been identified as Khalil Siddique, Abdul Shakur Saleh, Arshad Rafiq, and Waseem, son of Mohammad Hashim.

Local sources confirm that the men were taken into custody during a house-to-house raid in Parom, and since their detention, there has been no word on their whereabouts or condition.

According to local reports, the missing individuals were labourers by profession, with several working as drivers in the oil sector.

Meanwhile, the residents of the Parom area have announced a sit-in in front of the FC camp, demanding the immediate release of their missing loved ones.

In a statement, the residents said that late last night, Pakistani forces surrounded the area, raided homes, destroyed property, looted valuable items, and subjected the residents to violence.

The families of the missing youths, along with the local community, have given an ultimatum to the forces and administration, saying that if their loved ones are not released by tonight, they will block the FC camp at Rishpesh tomorrow at 9 AM and stage a sit-in.

They added that the sit-in will continue until the missing individuals are freed. If any damage occurs during the protest, the forces and local administration will be held entirely responsible.

In a separate incident, on December 5, Zahid Mustafa, a student at Gwadar University, was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces.

Zahid, who was studying Data Science, was abducted from his home late at night by a group of soldiers, some in uniform and others in plain clothes.

The forces scaled the walls of Zahid’s residence in Gwadar, detaining him despite resistance from his family, who were reportedly beaten with rifle butts, and shots were fired during the raid.

The family of Zahid Mustafa, along with human rights groups, has demanded an immediate halt to the enforced disappearances and the release of Zahid and all others held in similar circumstances.

Earlier this week, Pakistani forces detained two individuals from the coastal areas of Gwadar and Pasni, identified as Munawar son of Qarar, and Zakaria son of Allah Bakhsh.

Munawar was taken from the Pasni area during a raid on Wednesday, December 4, while Zakaria was whisked away on December 3, from Gatti Dhor in Gwadar.

As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of all the abducted individuals remain unknown.