Two of Five Killed in Alleged CTD Encounter in Balochistan Identified as Forcibly Disappeared Persons

QUETTA: Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has claimed to have killed five individuals in an alleged intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Duki district.

The operation, which CTD said targeted suspected members of an armed group, has sparked outrage and suspicion among human rights activists, local sources, and the families of the deceased.

According to a CTD spokesperson, the operation was launched based on intelligence reports. “In the retaliatory fire, five individuals were killed, and weapons and explosives were recovered from their possession”, the spokesperson said.

However, soon after the announcement, details emerged that at least two of those killed were previously subjected to enforced disappearance after being detained by Pakistani forces.

These revelations confirmed that popular belief that the encounter was staged—a growing concern in Balochistan, where cases of fake encounters of missing persons have become alarmingly frequent.

One of the deceased, Muhammad Deen Mari, had been missing since December 2024, after reportedly being arrested by Pakistani forces in the Harnai district. His disappearance had been highlighted by human rights groups and widely circulated on social media in January 2025, with calls for his release.

Another victim, Ejaz Baloch, was abducted on April 12, 2025, from the Mongchar area of Kalat district, according to his family. Ejaz was taken along with his companion, Zaid, a resident of Saryab, Quetta.

On April 16, Ejaz’s family confirmed his disappearance to the media. Today, they identified his body among those killed in the CTD operation based on photographs circulating online.

So far, the identities of the remaining three individuals have not been officially confirmed. However, local sources suggest they too may have been previously disappeared by security forces.

Human rights organisations have condemned the killings and expressed grave concerns over the growing pattern of extrajudicial executions in Balochistan.

“This is not the first time CTD has made such claims,” said one activist. “The recurring nature of these alleged encounters, and the identification of missing persons among the dead, points to a deeply troubling trend of impunity.”