Balochistan: Road Blocked Against Abduction of Brother and Sister

SHAAL, BALOCHISTAN: The Pakistani security forces detained a Baloch woman, Rahima Rahim, and her brother, Zubair Rahim, during a late-night raid in Dalbandin’s Zahoor Colony, subsequently disappearing both.

Local residents report that security personnel raided multiple homes across the colony, subjecting people to harassment and violence. Following the incident, the victims’ family, joined by members of the community, blocked a major road in protest, demanding the immediate release and safe return of the two siblings.

The latest disappearance has amplified concerns about the systematic targeting of Baloch women. Over recent months, several women have been taken into custody by Pakistani state forces and remain missing, a trend that observers say is deeply unsettling in a region where cultural norms traditionally prohibited such acts.

According to local sources, enforced disappearances of Baloch women, including Mah Jabeen Baloch, Nasreena Baloch, and now Rahima Rahim have “shaken centuries-old societal practices,” marking a disturbing escalation of cultural as well as physical violence. While Mah Jabeen’s brother was eventually released, she and other missing women have not been traced and families fear they are being held in secret detention facilities.

Community members and rights advocates say the repeated targeting of women represents a dangerous turning point in the conflict, fuelling anger, fear and widespread resentment across Balochistan.

Local activists have condemned the actions of state institutions, urging an immediate halt to gross human rights violations and demanding accountability. They have called for the safe recovery of Rahima Rahim and Zubair Rahim, and appealed to residents of Dalbandin to join protest efforts in support of justice, peace  and human dignity.