Balochistan: Pakistani Forces Abduct Six Youths as the VBMP Marks 6072nd Day of Protest
SHAAL, Balochistan: In a concerning escalation of enforced disappearances, Pakistani security forces have detained at least six Baloch youths from different areas of Balochistan, including Karachi, forcibly disappearing them in recent days.
Chairman of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons, Nasrullah Baloch, stated that while addressing the 22nd meeting of the Balochistan Cabinet, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti confidently claimed that “after February 1, the issue of missing persons in Balochistan will be resolved.” Bugti further asserted that anyone detained by state institutions would not be forcibly disappeared, but rather, according to the Enforced Disappearance Act 2025, they would be held in detention centres where their families would be allowed to meet them.
Nasrullah Baloch, however, argued that the Chief Minister’s statement is contrary to the truth. He highlighted that on February 2, Baloch National Movement Chairman Dr. Naseem’s father, Muhammad Bakhsh Sajdi, along with his uncle Naeem Sajdi and maternal uncle Rafiq Baloch, were taken into custody by security forces from their home in the Sky Blue area of Hub Chowki, Balochistan. They were transferred to an undisclosed location, and to this day, neither have they been brought into public view nor has their family received any information about their well-being. Similarly, Baloch individuals from various walks of life, including Karachi, have been taken into custody, yet they have neither been presented in court nor have their families been provided with any information.
Nasrullah Baloch also expressed concern over recent public statements made by Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, which hinted that the families of individuals involved in “anti-state activities” could also be held accountable. Such statements, Nasrullah emphasised, raise serious fears of collective punishment, which, like enforced disappearances, violates both domestic and international human rights laws.
Nasrullah Baloch further emphasised that national laws clearly state that punishing an individual for the actions of a family member is considered an extrajudicial measure. He urged that the government and heads of state institutions must understand that legal action based on extrajudicial measures and collective punishment will not improve the situation in Balochistan. On the contrary, history bears witness that such measures have only worsened the situation day by day.
Therefore, Nasrullah Baloch reiterated his appeal to the government and heads of state institutions to refrain from encouraging legal actions against any individual based on collective punishment. He also called for the immediate provision of information to the families of the missing persons about their loved ones, ensuring their safety, granting legal advisors access to the forcibly disappeared, and releasing those who are innocent. Furthermore, he urged national institutions to ensure that all actions taken are in accordance with national laws and to avoid any extrajudicial measures, to improve the situation in Balochistan and put an end to the growing unrest among the people of Balochistan.
In a disturbing development, on February 5, 2026, around 2 AM, Asadullah Kurd (25), a student from Baloch Colony, Quetta, was detained by Pakistani forces from Brewery Road, Quetta, and remains missing. Similarly, on January 3, 2026, Waleed (30), a cook from Lyari, Karachi, was abducted from his home. Another case on February 2, 2026, saw Khuda Bakhsh (18), a student from Gudani, Hub Chowki, abducted from Karachi. On the same day, Yasir Arfat (25) from Mashkay, Awaran, was forcibly disappeared after being detained by security forces in Karachi.
On February 2, Pakistani forces raided Baloch homes in the Gotri Bazaar and Koser Bazaar areas of Jiwani, detaining Sajjad, son of Ghufur, and Zahid, son of Abdul Rahman, who were then taken to undisclosed locations, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
Reports also indicate that over 100 people were abducted from Quetta following recent coordinated attacks against Pakistani forces in different cities of Balochistan. These abductions are seen as part of a broader crackdown that many believe is tied to Sarfraz Bugti’s recent public statements calling for collective punishment against Baloch families of those he described as anti-state. Bugti, the Chief Minister of Balochistan, has threatened to hold the families of those involved in attacks against Pakistani forces accountable. Many fear that the abductions, which include individuals from various backgrounds, are a direct result of this policy, signalling the beginning of collective punishment in Balochistan.
The protest camp organised by Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) in front of the Quetta Press Club has now completed its 6072nd day in protest against enforced disappearances in Balochistan. The VBMP continues to demand justice for the hundreds of Baloch who have been forcibly disappeared over the years.
