Pakistan: At Least Seven People Forcibly Disappeared From Balochistan

(MENAFN- IANS) Quetta, Jan 22 (IANS) At least seven people were forcibly disappeared from Pakistan's Balochistan province in recent days, local media reported. Pakistani forces detained a young nursing student, identified as Mehran Baloch, a resident of Balochistan's Bal-Nigor outside a local hospital on January 15, The Balochistan Post reported, citing sources in Turbat.

Baloch's family said he was moved to an undisclosed place and that no official information regarding the reasons behind his detention were shared.

Residents in Kharan reported that Pakistani forces have been carrying out cordon-and-search operations after an armed attack last week. While conducting a raid in Baloch Abad, Owais Ahmed Qambrani was detained along with his vehicle. Qambrani's family revealed that they have not been informed regarding his whereabouts.

Local sources revealed that three young men - Muneeb Siyapad, Makhfar Abid Siyapad and Ahmed Siyapad, were allegedly forcibly disappeared during operations conducted in Kharan.

Furthermore, two individuals were detained from Quetta, where residents alleged Pakistani forces carried out raids at homes in Killi Qambrani area and took away Abdul Qahar and Musawwir Qambrani. Their families have said that both men have gone missing since then.

Five men, who were missing previously, returned home, The Balochistan Post reported, citing families and local sources.

Meanwhile, a leading human rights organisation on Tuesday rejected the Balochistan provincial government's official claim that the issue of missing persons has been“resolved on a permanent basis," describing the statement as“false and contradicting ground realities.”

According to the Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB), the statement issued following the Balochistan provincial cabinet meeting on Tuesday--which declared the issue resolved while families continue to search for their disappeared relatives-- is a“grave misrepresentation of facts”.

In its findings for 2025, HRCB documented 1,455 cases of enforced disappearance, including 1,443 men and 12 women. Of these, it said, 1,052 individuals remain missing, 317 were released, 83 were killed in custody, and 3 were transferred to jail.

The rights body asserted that“these figures demonstrate the ongoing scale of illegal detentions and highlight that the so-called 'resolution 'is a false claim.”

“Hundreds of individuals in Balochistan continue to be victims of enforced disappearance. Many families have approached courts, commissions, and human rights organizations, yet the whereabouts of their loved ones remain unknown,” the HRCB stated.

Reiterating that Baloch civilians were abducted illegally, without due process, warrants, or lawful arrests, the rights body said that they were never presented before any court, constituting a clear violation of Pakistan's constitution and international human rights obligations.

“Enforced disappearance is a serious crime under international law, not a political slogan or propaganda. The characterisation of enforced disappearances as 'propaganda' is deeply offensive to the affected families and dismisses years of documented evidence,” it noted.

Asserting that the crisis of enforced disappearances in Balochistan remains unresolved and ongoing, the HRCB said,“any claim to the contrary is misleading and irresponsible”.

The rights body demanded that all forcibly disappeared persons be immediately produced before courts or released, and that those responsible for these illegal acts be held accountable.

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