Balochistan: Two Brothers Abducted in Panjgur, Journalist Maqbool Jaffar arrested under PECA Act

SHAAL/PANJGUR: Concerns over enforced disappearances, press freedom and intimidation of activists’ families in Balochistan intensified this week after fresh allegations surfaced involving the detention of two brothers in Panjgur and the continued legal custody of journalist Maqbool Jaffar.

The developments came as the protest camp organised by the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) outside the Quetta Press Club entered its 6,160th day, underscoring the persistence of grievances surrounding enforced disappearances in Balochistan.

At the protest camp, the brother of journalist Maqbool Jaffar and several of his colleagues visited the families of missing persons to express solidarity. Participants alleged that Jaffar was detained during a nighttime raid for speaking openly about public issues and social concerns. According to the participants, he was initially taken to an undisclosed location before authorities registered a case against him under Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

They stated that Jaffar was later presented before a court and subsequently handed over again to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on physical remand. Those attending the protest described the process as a serious violation of press freedom and fundamental human rights.

Speaking at the camp, VBMP Chairman Nasrullah Baloch condemned the illegal detention of the journalist, describing it as alarming, unconstitutional and unacceptable. He said harassment of journalists, suppression of dissenting voices and arrests without transparent legal grounds constituted a direct attack on democratic values, constitutional protections and freedom of expression in Pakistan.

Nasrullah Baloch said journalists serve as the “eyes and ears” of society by highlighting public concerns and exposing human rights abuses. He warned that actions against journalists and rights activists in Balochistan were creating an atmosphere of fear, insecurity, and censorship among media workers, which he said posed a serious threat to democratic society.

He called on the government, judiciary and relevant institutions to immediately release Maqbool Jaffar, safeguard his constitutional and legal rights, and ensure protection of press freedom and human rights.

Meanwhile, separate allegations emerging from Panjgur have raised further concerns regarding enforced disappearances and coercion directed at family members of activists.

According to local sources, Pakistani security forces detained two brothers, Touheed and Abu Bakr sons of Muhammad Siddiq, from the Khudabadan Mowach area of Panjgur on May 6. Sources reported the brothers were subsequently transferred to an undisclosed location and their whereabouts remain unknown.

The family involved has longstanding links to cases of enforced disappearance in Balochistan. Touheed is reportedly the son-in-law of Zaheer, who allegedly disappeared after being detained by Pakistani forces in Hub Chowki on April 13, 2015, and has not been seen since.

Sources said Touheed’s wife, Adeeba Zaheer, is associated with the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a rights-based advocacy organisation active in Balochistan.

According to the reports, following the detention of the two brothers, pressure was exerted on Adeeba Zaheer to publicly distance herself from the BYC and hold a press conference criticising the organisation. Sources added that she was told that her husband and brother-in-law could be released if she complied.

Local sources further alleged that Adeeba Zaheer eventually held a press conference under pressure. However, no official statement has been issued by Pakistani authorities regarding the disappearances.

The family has also previously suffered another violent incident. According to relatives, Zeeshan Zaheer, another member of the family, was abducted in broad daylight from Garmkan Football Chowk on June 29, 2025. His dead body was recovered the following day. The family says he was killed after being taken into custody.

Human rights groups and activists in Balochistan have for years accused Pakistani security agencies of involvement in enforced disappearances, extrajudicial detentions and intimidation of political activists and journalists.

The issue of enforced disappearances remains one of the most contentious and politically sensitive issues in Balochistan, where families of missing persons have continued protests and demands for accountability for more than a decade.