Balochistan
The human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), PAANK, has released a troubling report revealing a significant rise in human rights violations in Balochistan during October 2024. The report details 110 enforced disappearances, six extrajudicial killings, and an alarming increase in military operations, painting a grim picture of the situation.
PAANK claims that these abuses are part of a coordinated campaign targeting Baloch students, political activists, human rights defenders, and civilians. The organization accuses Pakistani security forces, intelligence agencies, and local militias, referred to as “death squads,” of carrying out these violations.
The report highlights that the enforced disappearances took place in 14 districts of Balochistan, with the highest number—27 cases—reported in Dera Bugti, mostly involving Baloch students allegedly abducted by military and intelligence forces. Additionally, six extrajudicial killings are documented, including the killing of Pir Jan in Panjgur’s market on October 1 and Altaf’s death in Kech on October 6.
Military operations have intensified in areas like Dera Bugti, Kech, and Barkhan, with civilians facing violence and forced displacement. The report also mentions the ‘Aman Force,’ an alleged military-backed militia, responsible for many of these abuses.
PAANK has urged the international community to take immediate action, calling for an investigation into what it describes as war crimes in Balochistan, and condemns the silence of the global community on these issues.
