Balochistan: Pakistani Forces Abduct Baloch from Home and Kill in Cold Blood

QUETTA: Pakistani forces abducted and killed Zareef Baloch son of Homar, in the Tump Dazin area of Balochistan. 

Zareef was reportedly taken from his home on Thursday night in front of his family. On Friday, his dead body, bearing marks of severe torture, was found dumped in Tump, sparking outrage and grief among his family and local residents.

In response to this act of “cold-blooded murder,” family members and residents of Tump announced plans to stage a protest at Shaheed Fida Chowk in Turbat. They intended to bring attention to the increasing incidents of violence in the region by protesting alongside the body of Zareef Baloch, the latest victim of state oppression.

However, sources reported that Pakistani forces detained Zareef Baloch’s family in Asiabad while they were en route to Turbat to participate in the protest. This move has further inflamed tensions in the region, with accusations that the authorities are attempting to silence dissent and prevent the family from seeking justice.

Adding to the gravity of the situation, an ongoing internet blockade in the region has hampered communication and the flow of information. Activists and residents accuse the authorities of deliberately imposing the blackout to suppress updates about the detained family and to conceal the extent of the violence and oppression.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has strongly condemned the killing of Zareef Baloch and the subsequent actions of the authorities. 

In a statement, the BYC called upon all Baloch people to rise in solidarity and resist state oppression. They urged residents of Turbat and neighbouring areas to unite in protest and demand accountability for the ongoing human rights violations in the region.

The killing of Zareef Baloch is the latest in a series of incidents that have underscored the volatile situation in Balochistan, where enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings have become common. Activists and human rights organisations have repeatedly called for international attention to the plight of the Baloch people.