Balochistan: Two Baloch Employees Forcibly Disappeared Near Reko Diq, Raising Security and Discrimination Concerns
SHAAL, BALOCHISTAN: Two Baloch employees of the Reko Diq mining project were reportedly abducted by personnel from Pakistani intelligence agencies and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), according to local sources. The incidents have sparked renewed concern about the safety of indigenous workers and discriminatory practices within one of Balochistan’s largest mineral projects.
The first incident occurred on Saturday when Mehrullah Musazai Baloch, who was travelling home on leave, was taken off a company vehicle near Tozghi on the main highway. Local sources say that security personnel stationed in the area forcibly removed him from the vehicle before taking him to an unknown location.
On Sunday, a second worker, Asif Mandazai Baloch, was reportedly removed from a Reko Diq company bus by security officials who also halted the bus to check the identity cards of all employees onboard. Both men were travelling from Reko Diq to Nokundi at the time of their disappearance.
Local sources say that the company failed to provide security for its Baloch employees during these incidents. They further say that while workers from Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore are flown home by air, employees from Balochistan—especially ethnic Baloch workers—are sent by road without protection.
According to these accounts, this disparity reflects discriminatory behaviour by certain non-local and foreign officials involved in the project.
Baloch employees expressed fear and outrage, stating that abducting workers directly from company vehicles not only undermines confidence in the security arrangements of the multibillion-dollar project but also reinforces perceptions that Baloch workers are being intentionally intimidated and marginalized.
Reko Diq, located in Balochistan’s Chagai district, is one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold deposits. The project—jointly developed by the Government of Pakistan and Canadian mining giant Barrick Gold—has been promoted as a key driver of economic growth and foreign investment.
However, the project has long been controversial in the region. Local communities and rights groups have frequently raised concerns about land rights, displacement, environmental impact and the exclusion of Baloch residents from meaningful employment and decision-making roles. Allegations of enforced disappearances and heavy security measures around mining zones have amplified local mistrust.
