August 21, 2024
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
Around 76 cases of enforced disappearance have surfaced, while 31 people were reported to have been killed in Balochistan in July, according to a report released by the Human Rights Council of Balochistan (Hakkpaan), a non-profit and non-partisan human rights group.
HRCB which is based in both Balochistan and Sweden collects reports from its network of volunteers from areas in Balochistan where it is not easy for the media or human rights organizations to visit and report, due to intervention by State authorities.
July was a critical month in terms of the conflict and violence in the province. The report shows a surge in both disappearances and killings, as June recorded 62 cases of disappearance and 25 killed. Many of the incidents in July happened in context of the series of protests against human rights violations were also being organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a movement primarily led by women.
The BYC organized two major events: one was a protest in Quetta, held to help the family of Zaheer Ahmad raise awareness about his disappearance, after the police arrested him at his home in Quetta. The second was a large gathering in Gwadar on July 28, which the provincial government and state institutions attempted to suppress through the use of excessive force.
Enforced Disappearances
Perpetrators
According to the report, collected data reveals that the paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) has been the most frequent perpetrator responsible for 36 out of 76 cases of enforced disappearances, followed by the police’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD with 22, and the intelligence agencies with 17 cases.
The most common mode of abduction were house raids, accounting for 51 out of 76 cases, followed by detentions with 20 cases, while 5 persons were abducted from check-posts.The most cases were reported from Quetta (25 out of 76), and then District Kech (11) and Awaran (eight cases). There were also many people abducted from Khuzdar, Mastung and even Karachi by extension, while one person was abducted from District Hub.
Cases of Enforced Disappearance
- July 1: Saeed Abdul Nabi Miraji was detained by Pakistani forces in the Bazgir area of Khuzdar. Since then, no one heard of him. Residents report that officials from CTD raided his shop and whisked him away.
Security forces also raided a house in the Parpaki area of Mashkay, Awaran and picked up Dawood Ismail. His whereabouts are still unknown. - July 3: Forces abducted and disappeared two brothers, Nasrullah Anwar and Saif Jan Anwar from the Mastung. Armed men of intelligence agencies also picked up 16-year-old Hayat Sabzal from a car-wash in Turbat, Kech and disappeared him.
- July 7: Forces raided Tirtej village of district Awaran and picked up Aqil Bashir. He was later released two days later, and it was claimed he was tortured while in custody.
- July 8: CTD along with intelligence agencies raided a house in the Meri Bug area of Turbat and disappeared Khalid Bijjar. The family’s mobile phones were also confiscated.
The same day, the security forces forcibly disappeared Adam Nasim and one more from Kontani area of Gwadar. - July 9: Forces disappeared Zameer Muhammad from the Machi Malar area of Awaran. He was later released after severe torture.
Security forces also detained three individuals from Kalat, who are still missing. The disappeared persons are Abdul Rahim Kannar Khan Lehri, Samandar Khan Pasund Khan Lehri, and 13-year-old Bibagr Deen Muhammad Mengal.
In a third case the same day, forces picked up and disappeared 18-year-old Obaid Mir Jalal Khan from his house in Balicha, Kech. He was later released on next day, after severe torture. - July 10: Imdad Hussain was taken by security forces from his shop in the Dor area of Gwadar.
- July 11: Army personnel conducted raids in Tota Colony and nearby areas, looted homes and forcibly disappearing four individuals from Sui town, Dera Bugti. The disappeared persons are Waheed Qadir Baksh Bugti, Naseebullah Turkali Bugti, Alman Khawand Baksh Bugti, and Adhya Deen Mohammad Bugti.
- July 13: Forces detained and disappeared Qadir Bakhsh Haji Rahim Dad resident of the Parom, Panjgur on a check-post in coastal city of Gwadar. He was later released after torture.
- July 14: Armed men abducted and disappeared Siraj Shafi Muhammad from Nodez Kech. His whereabouts remain unknown.
Security forces abducted and disappeared Liaqat Shahdad from Bazdad, Awaran. He was previously abducted in 2021 and later released. His father, Dr. Shahdad was disappeared and killed in a fake encounter on 19 August 2016.
Security forces also raided Kubdani village in Kharan district, searching homes and abducting three individuals namely Hafeezullah Fazal Mohammad Channal, Manzoor Ahmad Abbas, and Ziaullah Fazal Mohammad Channal. Manzoor and Ziaullah were later released but Hafeezullah remains missing. - July 16: Mukhtar Mengal was abducted by intelligence agencies while he was traveling to Kharan town on his bike. His bike was later discovered in an empty building.
- July 17: Well-known activist Rehmatullah Baloch, involved in the recent protests against disappearance of Zaheer Baloch, was abducted from Quetta’s Kili Bangulzai. However, he was later released.
Forces surrounded the Nokjo area of Mashkay and conducted raids on houses. They abducted and disappeared Shahdad Allah Bakhsh, Atiq Master Elahi Bakhsh, Munir Nabi Bakhsh, and Jabal Majeed. - July 18: The family of Abdul Rasool Ghulam Nabi reported that he was abducted and disappeared by armed men from Arbab Karam Khan Road, Quetta on June 12 this year.
- July 19: The CTD abducted and disappeared Shah Jan Saleem Jan, Gohar Deen Khair Jan, Muhammad Jan Lal Bakhsh, Mayar Lal Bakhsh, and Arif Abdul Rahman from the Gresha area of Khuzdar. The raid also led to injuries of women and children, as well as significant property damage. The forces reportedly looted and set the houses ablaze, and damaged their solar system.
- July 20: Forces picked up Saghir Ahmad Nazir Ahmed Pirakzai from his house in Kharan. Saghir Ahmad Pirakzai is employed with NADRA. He is still missing.
- July 21: Amjad Baloch was forcibly disappeared by security forces from Quetta. They also abducted Saddam Longove from Kili Ismail, Quetta. He was later released.
- July 22: Hidayatullah Sumalani, who participated in the protest against the forced disappearance of Zaheer Baloch, was detained by security forces from his house in Kili Kamalo, Quetta.
- Nisar Ahmed was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces from Quetta. He remains missing.
- July 24: Security forces forcibly disappeared Sohaib Muhammad Deen Langove from Kili Ismail.
- Three activists from BYC, Shahdad Baloch, Saddam Baloch, and Basit Baloch were arrested by DSP Kalakot, Karachi for wall-chalking and distributing pamphlets regarding Baloch national gathering of BYC. After being taken to the police station, they were handed over to intelligence agencies. Abdul Rehman Shahmir, another member of BYC Karachi was also picked up by the forces from his home. All of them were released on July 29.
- July 25: Waqas Ahmed, son of Muhammad Bakhsh, was picked up by Pakistani security forces from Hudda, Quetta, after he participated in a protest demanding the safe release of Zaheer Baloch. He is missing since then.
Forces raided Gardank and Shurma Kaor area of Buleda, where they forcibly disappeared two individuals, Murad Abdullah and Shaukat.
Raids were also conducted in Tejaban, Kech and Muhammad Karim and Basham were disappeared from their homes. Their whereabouts are still unknown. - July 26: Forces detained Hafiz Aslam Nawaz Rodini and Amir Rodini from their homes in Sariab, Quetta. Forces disappeared Hafeez Hameed and Dad Jan Ismail from Buleda, Kech.
Forces and personnel of intelligence agencies took Jihand Baloch, chairman of Baloch Students Organization, and his colleague Sherbaz Baloch into custody. They were involved in preparations for the Baloch national gathering, an event organized by BYC in Gwadar on 28 July 2024. Both of them were released on 8 August.
The same night, security forces raided a house in Malir area of Karachi, and detained a BYC member, Balach, who was actively involved in preparations for the Baloch national gathering. Balach was later released on 02 August. - July 27: The CTD raided the Jamia Islamia Siddiqia Kili Perkaniabad Hazarganji Madrasa in Quetta to Maulana Khalilullah, a supporter of the Baloch national gathering, but he was not present so the CTD detained his brother Ehsanullah, and a student, Hafiz Tanveer Ahmad. Both were later released.
Several students from Shahwani Plaza, Quetta and took them to an unknown location. The victims who were identified, include Islamuddin Abdul Khair of Washuk, Shamim Abdul Samad of Awaran, Inayat Sana of Washuk, Amanullah, Arshid Dost and Fawad Baloch.
Seven persons were disappeared from Hudda, Quetta. They include Attaullah Mengal, his brother Amanullah Mengal, Munir Ahmed, and four others.
Forces attacked the caravan in Mastung, which was heading to Gwadar, for the BYC gathering. Forces abducted and disappeared Zubair Baloch, Anees Baloch and Zaid Baloch. They were released on 12 August. - July 29: Security forces disappeared two students, Shoaib Ishaq Baloch and Beebarg Jatak from Sariab Road, Quetta. Both of them later released on 9 August.
- July 30: Personnel of security forces and intelligence agencies abducted and disappeared Wadera Sattar Hasan for providing food and water to Baloch women and children at a sit-in in Hub Gaddani. He remained missing till the time of this report.
- July 31: Javed Ali, resident of Menaz, Buleda, disappeared while traveling from Buleda to Turbat. He is missing since then.
Killings
Out of the 31 cases of killings, in 12 of the cases, the victims were shot and killed, while four mutilated bodies were discovered dumped, and three were killed in bomb blasts.
Perpetrators
In 23 of the 31 cases, the perpetrator remained unknown. Two armed nationalist groups, BRAS and BLA have killed three each, while FC was reported to have killed 2 persons.
Victims
- July 1: A house in Gebon, Turbat was attacked, injuring an elderly man. A landmine explosion later killed a woman and her two children.
- July 6: Abid Pir Bakhsh, a former Baloch armed group member, was killed by gunmen. BLA claimed responsibility.
- July 7: Shabbir Ahmad Adam and Dr. Ghuman Fareed Solangi were killed in separate shootings.
- July 9: Two individuals were killed in Usta Muammad.
- July 11: Abdul Aziz Muhammad Shehi and Lal Jan Mari were killed in Mastung. BLA claimed responsibility for Mari’s death.
- July 13: A three-day-old body was found under a bridge near Chagi Peshak Zardan.
- July 15: An unidentified person was found strangled in Daringarh Maliko, Mastung.
- July 16: A body was discovered at an abandoned chicken farm in Gadani, Hub Chowki.
- July 18: Two bodies were found in Padangabad and Dori Sulaiman Khel areas, respectively.
- July 20: Irshad Gul Muhammad was killed and another person injured in a shooting in Turbat. BLA claimed responsibility.
- July 21: Shakeel Dr. Abdul Hameed was shot and killed in Panjgur.
- July 25: Two brothers were killed and three others injured in Dera Murad Jamali. BRAS claimed responsibility for the killing of three people in Kilkaor.
- July 27: Security forces opened fire on a caravan in Kech, killing one person.
- July 28: Security forces attacked a national gathering in Gwadar, killing one person and injuring others.
- July 31: The body of an eight-year-old boy was found strangled in Hub. Another unidentified body was discovered in Chagi.